


Why Be a King

by menaraline



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015), Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Bottom Armitage Hux, Dark, Dominant Kylo Ren, Dubious Consent, Emotional Manipulation, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Hux is Not Nice, Kylo Ren is Not Nice, M/M, Manipulation, Manipulative Relationship, Mind Control, Mind Manipulation, Minor Character Death, Possessive Behavior, Power Dynamics, Submissive Hux, Top Kylo Ren, Torture, Unhealthy Relationships
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-15
Updated: 2016-11-23
Packaged: 2018-08-15 02:40:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 23,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8039233
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/menaraline/pseuds/menaraline
Summary: Hux doesn’t know his place. Kylo Ren will see to it himself that he learns it.(General Hux may be a cruel man and an even crueler general, but that means little when he has lost much of Snoke’s support after the destruction of Starkiller Base. It means even less when Kylo Ren, who has become ambitious since the First Order’s bitter failure, decides that the path to power doesn’t have room for two.)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Please read the tags before proceeding—understandably, this fanfic is not for everyone, and I don't want people to feel as though they weren't properly warned. I tried my best to be as accurate as possible to the Star Wars canon, but if there are any inaccuracies, I apologize in advance. This fic is a mix of plot and self-indulgence, but the latter is probably more noticeable here. The title is from “Rap God” by Eminem, and this fic is meant to be canon-compliant with _Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens_.

_Starkiller Base was falling apart._

_Unrelenting snowfall pelted at Kylo's face. Spindly tree branches curled above him, black against an even blacker sky, and he could feel the ground below him tremble. Frosty air stung any skin left uncovered, and the chill began to get past any thin fabrics he wore. There was red-hot agony everywhere else. But, his face—_

_A spike of icy fear. What had become of his face? The girl had been without mercy when she brought the lightsaber down on him... was he disfigured now? It certainly seemed like it—his features felt shredded,_ broken.  _Kylo could barely feel his own limbs, which was a realization that made raw terror rip its way through his entire body. How could he escape? With his own eyes, he had witnessed the planet collapsing beneath its own weight. It would not hold together for long—_

But it's fine, _he assured himself._ It's fine because, without a doubt. Master Snoke has sent for someone to rescue me—

 _Yet, Kylo could feel the cold ground_ shake _beneath him. Not long ago, he had witnessed once stable land give way to a boiling red, and he knew that it was only a matter of time before..._

_Before—_

_And Kylo thought of how an entire planet system was reduced to nothing, how its populations could only watch helplessly as the ground underneath their feet trembled and shattered, and _—__

__Would that be his fate, as well?_ _

_Kylo felt something frighteningly_ cold _rush down his spine—and a fear, one that had ingrained deeply within his soul_ _long before he had been called Kylo Ren, resurfaced. His head pounded. One thought managed to be heard over the silent cacophony in his mind:_

Have I been abandoned?

No.  _Had Kylo been able, he would have shook his head fiercely in denial. But, instead, with his body effectively immobilized, he could only grit his teeth in the face of the frightening possibility._ That's impossible, it can't—

 _There was_ _vessel or shuttlecraft or_ something _coming to help him; there_ must _be. Because otherwise...!_

I can't die here!  _Kylo wanted to scream, but his throat was_ _raw._ There is so much I have left to do! So much I have to accomplish! I can't... I _can't...!_

 _Master Snoke had saved him before—long before Kylo thought himself even_ worthy _of being saved._ _He wouldn't leave him here to die_ _—_

But other people would.

 _Wild hysteria bubbled in Kylo's chest, and he was left unable to discern whether he wanted to laugh maniacally or sob uncontrollably. If..._ if _he had been deserted on this doomed planet, it could have only been by... by—_

 _But then,_ footsteps.

 _Kylo froze, and his heart stuttered. He had not imagined it,_ knew _he didn't imagine it._

_He had heard footsteps in the snow._

_"Who...?" Kylo rasped, his throat burning and voice hoarse. Desperate, and fearing that his words were not intelligible over the blizzard, he repeated again, trembling, "H-help—"_

_He was in too much pain to strain his neck and see who the newcomer was, and despite the possibility that it could be an enemy intent on killing him, or someone as trapped and helpless as he was—_

_Kylo felt_ hope _._

_The footsteps were getting louder, and he knew that they were heading his way. Kylo could feel his chest pound, and—_

_A figure, lean and tall, stood above him. The newcomer—Kylo's_ _savior—wore a uniform as black as the trees and the sky, and had_ _red hair that seemed to_ _burn with the scarlet of Starkiller Base's destruction._

_His own creation's destruction. Kylo would have smirked had he been in the condition to._

_The man that stood before him w_ _as regal, disdainful, with shining black boots and cold,_ cold _eyes—and Kylo so dearly wanted to laugh. For, if he had been deserted on this doomed planet, it only could have been by this man. But here he stood, looking down at Kylo as if he was a stain on his polished shoes._

 _"Well," General Hux said, lips curled. "Isn't_ this _a surprise."_

* * *

 

Kylo found that the sight of the medbay quickly becomes tiring after seeing the room every waking hour for days on end. The sterile, sour smell of bacta hung in the air and stuck to his clothing, and he was beginning to grow sick of it.

A medical droid, which had been rattling on about how all of Kylo's wounds had healed well despite the scarring, was beginning to be very irritating, and he had to resist the urge to silence it. All it would take was one slash, and the droid would be mere metallic bits. The idea was incredibly tempting to Kylo, especially considering that there was a lightsaber sitting sheathed in his palms, but he was careful to hold himself back. Although the droid was annoying, it was adept at its job. Certainly far too talkative, but that was only one flaw in a sea of very convenient and practical features.

“I’m going to the hangar bay,” Kylo announced, sliding on his helmet and standing up from the mattress he had been sitting on. Immediately, the medical droid began to stop him with its jittery metallic limbs.

“Sir,” it objected. “It would be particularly beneficial if you were to listen to some precautions relating to your injuries before—”

“Move.”

“But, sir—”

“ _Did I stutter?_ ” Kylo leaned downwards until he was face-level with the droid, his lips curled into a sneer. If the stupid piece of metal tried to stop him _one more time_ , he would make sure none of it would be left intact. He had suffered through enough defiance from the officers of the First Order, and he was not going to allow that to extend to _droids_ as well.

It was much to his pleasure—though admittedly, some disappointment as well—that the droid did step aside, nearly submissively, and Kylo strode past it without a second glance. He released a deep breath when he stepped out into the corridors, letting himself enjoy the brief sensation of freedom—he had been trapped in the medbay for nearly a whole standard week, after all. And although Kylo appreciated that he had been healed as best as technology allowed him to be, he knew well that nothing else could be done to the long scar that stretched across his face. Being injured also provided him a short break from, well, _everything_ to gather his thoughts and piece himself together—in more ways than one—but it did not take long before the medbay became stuffy and constricting, a hindrance to his autonomy. Therefore, Kylo now found it remarkably pleasant to finally be _outside_ , because as dull as the rest of the Star Destroyer was, it was infinitely better than where he had been formerly staying. 

Unfortunately, however, any relief he felt was short because he spotted an officer, clearly young and inexperienced, rushing towards him.

“Sir!” There was a nervousness to her voice. Kylo found that he liked how on edge she was, especially since he knew that he was the cause. “Supreme Leader Snoke wishes to speak to you—”

A burst of anger. “And why,” Kylo demanded, looming over the woman. She shook under his angry scrutiny. “Did he not ask me himself?” A sudden fear: _a_ _m I not worthy anymore—?_

“He wished for you to heal, sir,” she said, her eyes darting over his helmet. She was clearly unsure where to look. “I’m certain he meant no disrespect—”

“Do _not_ speak for Master Snoke,” he warned, and the woman immediately apologized, tears forming at the corners of her eyes. Kylo didn’t find himself particularly sympathetic. “And Hux,” he said, the name tasting like poison on his tongue. “Will General Hux be present at this meeting?”

“I’m not sure,” the officer said, and Kylo nearly Force-choked her right there. _Useless,_ he thought, seething, because if Hux was there—

If Hux was there—

 _Ice cold, biting at his skin; heat, scorching a trail down his face, down his body, the contrast terrible and disorienting and he felt like he was being_ torn apart—

“ _Well, isn’t_ this _pathetic? It simply goes to show that no matter how much training you receive from our Supreme Leader, you will never be even a_ mediocre _addition to the First Order. You couldn’t defeat a scavenger girl who had no training of any kind, so how could you possibly expect to kill Luke Skywalker? I hope you are ready to kneel in front of Supreme Leader Snoke and beg for mercy, Ren, and do know that you’d be fortunate to receive it.”_

Kylo snapped out of the memory, angry fire burning in his chest, and stormed down the corridor, caring for neither the trembling officer he left behind nor the stormtrooper at the end of the hall that he had choked to death in his rage.

* * *

The walk to the holochamber was one of trepidation. It wasn’t that Kylo feared Snoke—well, no, he _did_ , he would be stupid not to—but he was afraid of him in ways different than most were. After all, whatever Snoke was—Sith or Jedi or something else entirely—he was Force-sensitive, and Kylo always felt unsettled knowing that his master could read his every thought.

Thankfully, that wasn’t quite the case.

For, Kylo did learn a few tricks on his own, such as hiding certain… _unseemly_ thoughts from Snoke. The light clung to him still, he knew this, so he learned to hide the most ugly of his doubts away—the doubts that he was certain even Snoke wouldn’t accept or support. Snoke had never found out, but every time Kylo met with him, he was terrified that he would uncover what he had been hiding away for so long. The—

_“That's what Snoke wants you to believe, but it's not true—”_

_The blade, piercing straight through his fa—_ Ben Solo’s _father’s body. The expression of Han Solo’s face as he fell, as his soul departed to join the Force, where its presence could immortally be felt by Force-Sensitives—_

“— _my son is_ alive.”

— _where it could immortally haunt Kylo Ren, persistently clinging to him despite how much he wanted it to go AWAY._

When Kylo found himself able to focus again, body shaking as he panted like a wild dog, he found that there was a new long hot-red slash along the durasteel of the corridor walls. His hands, sweaty underneath the gloves he wore, grasped desperately at the hilt of the lightsaber he didn’t even know he had activated.

He couldn’t let Snoke know this weakness, that killing his father _hadn’t_ cleansed the temptation of the light from his being. Kylo tried hard to tuck it deep inside of him, into that hidden corner where he didn’t think his master ventured. Yes... As far as Snoke knew, killing Han Solo had destroyed even the smallest remains of Ben Solo.

And that was how it must be.

_But why must I hide this from my master, who understood me in ways that no one else ever did? Time and time again, he saved me from a fate worse than death. Why am I unable to trust him with this?_

The answer to these questions stirred within Kylo, encased in such a thin film that if he prodded it even once, it would crack. Yet, he did not dare to do so.

“ _You know it’s true.”_

That voice echoed through his ear canal with the same strength and conviction as when Kylo heard it being spoken from the lips of—a distant father—Han Solo, those long days ago. He attempted to shut it out, but it stubbornly persisted, just as its speaker did despite knowing the futility of it; but hoping, _hoping_ that—no. _No, no._ Kylo could feel it now: the light pulsing at his skin, whispering, “yes, anything,” so close that he could feel soft breath against his cheek, and—

"NO!" Kylo yelled, _snarled_ , and in moments, what was once a single slash across the wall was now five. A passing stormtrooper on the other side of the corridor spared him only a single, nervous glance before speed walking towards the opposite direction, not daring to confront him for the damage he was causing.

 _Coward,_ he thought, seething. _All cowards, these troopers are—!_

But still, despite everything, Kylo gritted his teeth, pushed the conflict to that private corner deep within himself, sheathed his lightsaber, and with intent, walked towards the holochamber.

It would not do well to have his master wait.

* * *

The holochamber had always seemed distinctly chillier than the rest of the _Finalizer_ , but now, but _now_ , Kylo was overcome by waves of fury that left the room unbearably hot.

He should have gotten the identification of that officer, because her inadequacy left Kylo alone in the room with Snoke—who wasn’t there, not really, only a mere hologram of him—and _Hux_.

General Armitage Hux was a revolting man—a slimy sycophant who thought himself superior to everyone else on the Star Destroyer. Admittedly, he was both a brilliant architect and tactician, but his terrible personality made his talents difficult to appreciate. He was pale and red-haired, and he had an angular, but not unattractive, face. He was all sleek black lines when it came to his clothing, and he donned a greatcoat that appeared both well-made and warm, though Kylo doubted that the general wore it to keep the cold away. There was a cold arrogance in Hux’s dark gaze when he eyed the new scar that stretched across Kylo’s face, and his subsequent smirk at the reminder of his failure made his fists clench.

There were very few people he hated more than Hux.

“My apprentice,” came the booming, aged voice of Snoke. Immediately, Kylo pushed aside his rage to show the powerful being deference. He had removed his helmet along the way to the holochamber—he should not hide his face from his master, after all—but on the other hand, _Hux_ … Kylo felt little comfort in allowing his rival to see him unmasked.

“Master Snoke,” he greeted, looking up at his Supreme Leader, his gaze meeting beady eyes on a gaunt, ghostly face. Snoke was so very large—this was a hologram, yes, but _still_ —and that made it easier to accept Snoke as his superior.

Though, the thought of having a superior in the first place still left a bitter aftertaste in his mouth.

“I killed Han Solo,” Kylo announced, because that was the one thing he had done right. “I killed and destroyed him.”

“And is the temptation by the light destroyed too?” Snoke inquired, wise gaze unreadable. Kylo waited for the surge of reverence for his master that usually surfaced within him by this point, but it never came. It was unsettling.

“Yes. It's gone,” Kylo lied, firmly pushing his own personal secrets—those were _his_ thoughts and memories, not Snoke’s, _Snoke had no right to see them_ —into that corner of his mind.

Snoke gave him a considering look, one that could have lasted either moments or much longer. Kylo was putting _all_ of his efforts and skills into keeping his thoughts and feelings in line, and he was beginning to feel perspiration build at the back of his neck. He had to hide his relief when Snoke gave him only a sage nod. “You did well. You broke away from those who attempted to hold you back. You destroyed some of your chains, my apprentice. Well done.”

Kylo waited for the praise to warm him, as Snoke’s always did, but instead, he was left feeling cold and, oddly enough—angry? Again, he had to push that emotion away, because although Kylo didn’t _feel_ Snoke entering his mind, that didn’t mean—

“Supreme Leader, I do not mean to doubt your wisdom, and I most certainly do not intend to,” Hux broke in, and Kylo immediately grimaced. “But Ren has not only failed to take back the map to Luke Skywalker, he couldn’t even manage to bring you the scavenger girl.” Kylo felt his teeth grit, and humiliation blossomed in his chest. Hux was most surely trying to make a fool of him, and waves of indignation and abhorrence flooded Kylo’s very being. If Snoke had not been in the room, if Snoke didn't find Hux _useful_ , he was certain he would have choked Hux to death by this point. “Please, put these tasks into my hands, and I promise that I will retrieve both the girl and the map—”

“How could you retrieve her when you don’t even have the Force?” Kylo sneered.

“Through intelligence and strategy,” Hux countered, countenance smug. “Neither of which you have, evidently.”

A hand on his hilt.“You have ideas above your station, Hux—”

“And you do not, for you are no more than an obtuse _hound_ —”

 _“Enough,_ ” Snoke commanded both quietly and powerfully, immediately bringing a tense silence to the holochamber. What a presence the he must have for his orders to carry so much strength! Kylo found himself envious. “General,” he then said, addressing Hux. Hux immediately straightened, and Kylo felt his lips curl at his competitor’s eager subservience to Snoke. _But am I not the same?_  He thought, before shaking the question from his head and tuning into his master’s next words: “You say you do not doubt me, but I find myself unable to repeat the notion in regards to you.”

Kylo found himself frozen by the statement, too shocked to feel truly anything else. Hux seemed to be in the same predicament, though something much more pained hung over his gaze. “Supreme Leader,” he said, voice sounding choked. “I—”

“Tell me, General Hux,” Snoke said, slowly, painfully. “What do you have to say for the failure of Starkiller Base?”

“I apologize for it, Supreme Leader,” Hux said, bowing his head slightly in a show of submission. _How_ _disgusting_. Yet, Kylo could not deny the victory and mirth swelling inside of him at the sight. “There was much potential that Starkiller Base didn’t live up to, partially due to the girl and other Resistance scum. How they managed to get so far is beyond me—” Kylo narrowed his eyes at the subtle attempt to blame him. “—but still, it was largely my fault as I was its architect, and I promised you much more than it managed to do.” A brief pause. “Though, if I am allowed to add, the Starkiller was not a complete failure. It managed to destroy the the capital of the New Republic—Hosnian Prime, as well as other planets in the Hosnian System and a significant amount of the New Republic’s fleet—”

“You’re known for your intelligence, General Hux,” Snoke said smoothly. “Think of the costs it took to build the Starkiller Base, the drain on our resources. Think of the men we’ve lost due to its destruction. Now, think of the damage it managed to inflict on the New Republic. Do you truly believe that the outcome was worth the costs?

“No, Supreme Leader.” Hux appeared pained as he said it. Kylo had to try his hardest not to smile.

“Of course not,” Snoke said, beady eyes cool as they regarded General Hux. “The end result was good, but not good enough. There is no room in the First Order for anything but exemplary results. I cannot help but say that I am disappointed.”

“I apologize sincerely, Supreme Leader.”

“General,” Snoke said. “I accept your apology. Despite this crushing failure, I know that you are talented and skilled. I trust that you will make up for the loss.”

“I will.” Hux appeared subservient, yes, but Kylo could see the unspoken questions dancing furiously at the tip of his tongue— _Ren has failed just as much, no, even_ more _than I have, so why am I the one—?_

“Yes, yes,” Snoke said. “See to it that this time, those words will not be empty.”

Hux nodded, but he seethed beneath his skin—he knew it, Kylo knew it, and most certainly, Snoke did too. But their Supreme Leader dismissed the general with merely a wave of a bony hand, appearing absolutely unconcerned. This time, when Kylo smiled, he didn’t bother to hide it.

After all, didn't this mean that Snoke chose him? That his master, who for a long time watched as both Hux and Kylo squabbled for his power and favor, took his pick? There was victory to be had in that—in knowing that he was selected as someone superior to General Hux

So, Hux seethed, Kylo smiled, and Snoke watched with gleaming, predatory eyes—a king looking down at his squabbling sons and seeing opportunity.

It was a look that Kylo did not miss, either. He didn't like it, and he didn't like what it implied.

The words “ _you know it’s true”_ repeated in his mind, almost like a jeer—almost like a childish I-told-you-so, and it was only the fact that Hux appeared so embarrassed and enraged as he left the holochamber alone that Ren could maintain his calm facade.

“My apprentice,” Snoke said, leaning back against his throne. “Finally, we are alone.” He regarded Kylo with his dark, slitted eyes. “You did not bring me the map to Luke Skywalker. You did not retrieve the girl. Both of those were in your grasp, yet here you stand wounded, scarred, while the map and the girl are now in the deplorable Resistance’s hold. You’ve failed, as well.”

And so, Kylo shoved away his restless thoughts—

— _but why this, why does he wait until we are alone to speak of my failures, what is the purpose_ — _?_

—and said, “I will not let you down again. The light had weakened me, but now, with Han Solo dead—”

“Your father had been a distraction,” Snoke agreed. “But he’s no longer one anymore. Now, there is nothing to impede you on your path.”

“My path,” Kylo repeated, voice breathy. “What is my path, Master Snoke?”

“It is one that can only be paved through strength and passion,” Snoke said, his wraithlike form shifting so that he loomed over Kylo. It was overwhelming. “You have done much of it on your own, my apprentice, but you still need my hand to guide you.” His eyes gleamed. “Allow me to continue your training, now that the obstacle which has been preventing you from progressing has been destroyed by your very own hands.”

“Haven’t you already been training me?” Kylo asked, and although his question appeared skeptical, there was no point in hiding the obvious excitement in his words. “What’s going to be different now?”

“You cannot truly believe that you wield all the power of the Force, do you?” Snoke tilted his bony head to the side, almost in a pondering manner. “Not when your chains—the light, Han Solo, _Ben Solo_ —have been keeping you from your _real_ strength. No,” he said, “You are not yet a Sith, Kylo, and even a flourished Sith Lord has much training left to complete.”

“Knowledge,” Kylo said, pausing for a few moments to properly articulate the request he was about to make. It as one that he had been considering and wanting for quite a while. “Knowledge means power, doesn’t it?”

“Indeed,” Snoke said. “What knowledge do you wish to seek?”

“The knowledge of the Sith.” Kylo was certain his eyes were practically gleaming with ambition now. It didn’t matter though, did it? He shouldn’t hide ambition and passion from his master—they were good traits for a user of the dark side of the Force. “I wish to go to the Sith Temples and learn about them, discover them with my own hands, experience the raw energy of the old masters long-gone.”

Snoke listened to his request in silence and patience, not even a single flash of emotion betrayed in his gleaming dark eyes. He didn’t respond immediately either, which caused Kylo much uneasiness as he waited. Finally, Snoke spoke, voice grave, “You have fine ideas, my apprentice. But, you must consider, is it wise to walk the footsteps of the old Sith?”

“What do you mean?” Kylo asked, his mouth suddenly dry.

“I understand your request,” Snoke said, almost soothingly. “But although knowledge is power, I worry about the kind of knowledge the Sith Temples hold. Some may possibly be detrimental to your success, should you let yourself be influenced by them. Let yourself trust me, trust my teachings, and trust that I would never sway you down the wrong path as those ancient Sith relics might.”

Kylo was pretty sure that his chest was, in that very moment, pierced through by a vicious lightsaber—his uncle’s, perhaps, or maybe the girl’s—but his expression outwardly was numb. Sometimes, he wondered how such vulnerable emotions of his were never caught by Snoke.

Other times, he wondered when he began to hide his vulnerable emotions from his master in the first place—the master he admired initially solely _because_ he could show every aspect of himself to him—vulnerable or not, ugly or not.

For a while, he had been thinking: _what has changed?_ But, looking at the way Snoke denied him from learning on his own, it was obvious now, wasn’t it? Because despite all of Snoke’s sweet, honeyed words—words that he had bought so easily when he had been weaker—there was something much more horrifying lying underneath, something that he had been trying to deny until this point.

“The old Sith, you see,” Snoke said. “Were all powerful and great. But they share one common trait, and that is failure. I do not want you to repeat their history.”

“But to not repeat history means you must learn it.”

“Not if I am here to guide you,” Snoke said, voice slow and even, “Allow yourself to trust me, my apprentice, and under my tutelage, you will grow into a man more powerful than even Luke Skywalker.”

Something bitter and angry began to unfurl inside Kylo’s very being, spurred on by betrayal by someone whom he thought, above everyone else, he could trust. Snoke, after all, was very clearly attempting to render Kylo dependent on him by making himself Kylo's sole source of information. Everything was clear to Kylo now as something in him shattered—the vagueness and the indecisiveness and the feeling of being _torn apart_ , all gone in an instant. Kylo wanted to laugh, because Snoke was right. He _did_ need Snoke—he needed him and his lies and his saccharine words, all for this very moment.

For, Kylo was now certain that Snoke was going to kill him. Not now, not when he still had a use for him, of course… but eventually. Snoke had no need for an apprentice, no clear motive for having one besides as a means to an end.

Snoke was shaping and conditioning him solely for the purpose of _whatever_ his plans for Kylo were, and once he achieved what he set out to do, he would off him—for a Skywalker who was strong with the Force was too much of a threat. It explained why Snoke was so particular when it came to his training, why he didn’t want Kylo seeking knowledge on his own. He wanted Kylo powerful solely for _his_ benefit, but he did not want him _too_ powerful.

 _“Snoke is using you for your power. When he gets what he wants, he'll crush you. You know it's true.”_ Kylo wanted to laugh because in the end it was Han Solo’s words that made him realize the truth. If the man did anything right when it came to his son, this was it. 

Kylo should have felt hurt and devastated by the discovery he made, but instead, he felt a peace: a peace that came with finally knowing who he truly was, and how everyone, even Snoke— _especially Snoke_ —was suppressing that, suppressing _him_. Kylo was no longer going to be the weak-hearted boy who fervently wished to the stars every night for his distant parents to be there for him. He was not going to depend on others for his own happiness anymore; he would find his satisfaction and take it for himself.

Kylo knew better now. He knew that he had the potential to be so much greater than what anyone—all the people who wanted to control him and leash him and use him—had _thought best_ for him, had planned for him. He, even without ancient Sith knowledge, even without Snoke’s training, had _somehow_ learned how to hide his thoughts away from his master.

Perhaps, though, this proved how arrogant his _‘master’_ was to underestimate him.

But for how long had Kylo attempted to find happiness by pleasing others? It explained why he was never happy himself. All that time, he was trying to fit into different molds that weren't shaped to fit him.

It was time to change that.

“You’re right,” Kylo said, though his mind was whirring and rearranging and _planning_. “You’re right. Forgive me, Master Snoke, for doubting you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope that you enjoyed this first chapter! What I have written here is only the premise, but it's an important basis for what's to come.
> 
> Kudos and comments are super nice and encouraging, so please don't hesitate to send some over!


	2. Chapter 2

Kylo knew Hux was waiting for him even before he took a single step out of the holochamber.

Upon exiting, he found Hux standing by one of the corridor walls, and his tenuous hold on anger was betrayed by the way he held himself even more rigidly than usual.

“General,” Kylo greeted, not bothering to hide the joviality of his voice. “What a pleasant surprise.” He still felt unsettled that Hux was seeing him without his mask. He would have to work on that.

“What did you do?” Hux demanded, not wasting time on pleasantries. He was enraged, yes, but there was something else underlying that fury. Bitterness? Jealousy? Wrath?

Fear?

Yes. Fear. Kylo could sense it, feel it as though it was his own. Hux was afraid. But of what? Kylo was tempted to venture into the general’s mind, to see the cause of it himself.

“I went to, ah, how did you put it? Yes, ‘ _kneel in front of Supreme Leader Snoke’_ and ‘ _beg for mercy’_ , correct? I suppose I was _quite_ fortunate that I received it. Though,” Kylo said, a curled grin on his face, “I think that advice was, arguably, more appropriate for _you_ , Hux.”

“‘ _Arguably’_ ,” Hux scoffed. His eyes, dark against pallidness of his face, narrowed in hatred. “You _were_ fortunate, Ren,” he said, spitting his name out like a curse, “That Supreme Leader Snoke is so forgiving to his pet project that he would coddle you because you can do a few Jedi mind tricks—”

“Do not speak so lowly of the Force,” Kylo warned. “And, I am _not_ a Jedi.”

“Right,” Hux sneered, walking forward so that he was standing directly before Kylo. “You prefer ‘ _The Jedi Killer’_ , I take it? Not very tasteful, I must admit, though I shouldn’t expect so much of _you_.”

Trust Hux to find a way to take Kylo’s good mood and throw it down the trash compactor. Kylo already felt the beginnings of rage brimming beneath his skin. “You know nothing,” he snarled.

“Right,” Hux said mockingly. “You would understand that, wouldn’t you? ‘ _Knowledge means power’_ , does it not? Perhaps that explains your lack of both.”

The anger inside of Kylo _burned_. “I never thought you a _spy_ , Hux,” he hissed. “What would Master Snoke think of your eavesdropping?”

Shouldn’t Snoke have sensed Hux outside the holochamber? He must have, but if so, then why—?

Hux ignored the question. “Supreme Leader Snoke is indulgent to you in ways he is not towards any of his other officers. It’s absolutely sickening. I do not fault _him_ , of course, that he pampers you like the lapdog you are, but do know that I will make sure that you remain loyal. And,” he said, leaning in closer, so close that when Ren looked at him, he could see the slight freckling across his cheeks. “If I see you traveling anywhere _near_ the Sith Temples, Supreme Leader Snoke will be the first to know.”

With that, Hux turned on his heel and stalked away, leaving Kylo boiling with fury. Had Kylo not had the epiphany in the holochamber, he would have certainly acted on the Force that was practically _begging_ him to be used. But, with Hux now breathing down his neck, he knew he had to use his time carefully.

Kylo needed to plan. To think. And to consider other variables, such as _obstacles_ , that may stand in his way on the path to personal liberation.

* * *

 

He attempted to meditate on it in his quarters, but found himself unable to. It disturbed Kylo, to know that a man as insignificant as _Hux_ could unsettle him so profoundly.

But was he really so unimportant? There was no doubt that Hux was a brilliant strategist and a natural leader. Snoke regarded him with respect when it was due, and Hux was incredibly young for his position, proving either remarkable talent or clever social maneuvering—or the most likely option: both. Still, Kylo would be lying if he said that Hux didn’t deserve his position in the First Order.

Hux was his only real competitor, and that alone spoke of his abilities. This also meant, however, that he was a _very real_ obstacle for Kylo, and he had to take the man seriously if he was to defeat him.

 _Defeat him? In which way?_ Kylo scowled as he sat on his bed, leaning over so that his elbows rested on his thighs. He considered, for a brief moment, killing Hux. It would be shockingly easy—a simple Force-hold to the throat or a swing of his lightsaber, and, ignoring Snoke’s inevitable displeasure, his rival would be an issue no longer.

But, that seemed remarkably _unsatisfying_. It was so very easy to kill Hux, and Kylo would certainly benefit from his death, yet he felt that he was not reaping all the potential benefits from this situation by simply… _offing_ him.

Why was Hux such a huge issue for him in the first place? Kylo knew well now that he himself wanted power—power that Hux also desired. But, what sort of power did he want? It sounded alluring when he first heard it—Kylo, ruling the galaxy alone so that he would never have to depend on someone else again, so that no one would never _own_ him again.

He wanted to lead like he was always meant to. But when Kylo thought of being a leader, he thought of glory—of leading fleets into battle and having the final say in every large decision _his_ First Order would make. On the other hand though, the more bureaucratic and tedious elements of the job were immensely unappealing, and they were largely the reason why the idea of being a senator had always been so repulsive to him.

 _Other than the fact that I find senators themselves equivocating_ garbage _. How any intelligent being thinks that the galaxy belongs in their greasy hands is well beyond me._

And there came the next realization: Hux would make a fine general under Kylo’s command. He was already one for Snoke, but he would be even better serving a greater leader. He could carry out tasks and plans to shape planets and galaxies the way Kylo envisioned them to be, and Kylo, perhaps unfortunately, could not imagine a better man for the job.

If anything, it was a nice thought to imagine Hux looking up at him with the same subservience he looked at Snoke with.

And then came the problem: he knew Hux would never be fully loyal to him. He could feign it in the same way Kylo imagined he feigned much of his loyalty to Snoke, but eventually he would try to take Kylo’s power for himself. Hux’s temporary loyalty, no matter how good he was at his duties, was not worth his inevitable betrayal.

In addition, the idea of controlling the general and making him into what was essentially a mindless puppet wasn’t appealing to Kylo either. No, he wanted the man to submit to his rule on his own volition.

Hux did his job well, yes, and what a loss it would be to waste that potential—but what else could Kylo do? He would not allow himself to become someone like Snoke—who, for some inconceivable reason, had become unable to see disloyalty among his ranks—but he was also reluctant to throw away someone as skilled as Hux, no matter how bothersome he was.

What a predicament he was in.

 _Is there a way for me to gain Hux's genuine loyalty?_ Kylo then thought, feeling both perplexed and determined.  _There must be. There_ has _to be._

But Hux wasn’t the only problem Kylo needed to consider, because there came the issue with the light side of the Force.

He initially thought it to have been cleansed from him after his realization, but he could still feel it within him. Despite this, it wasn’t tearing him apart anymore—no, Kylo could feel it lighting up his every nerve, vibrating inside of him and no longer ripping his insides into shreds. And the dark side—Kylo sensed it within himself too, overwhelming and intense in a way that would surely repulse the light—but he could not feel a single clash. There should be a discord inside of him, yet he felt nothing of the sort—instead, an odd… coexisting?

Had Kylo finally come to peace with himself? With the light? Or was he only being hopeful that—?

His comm thrummed, breaking into his thoughts as a panicked voice echoed across his quarters.

“Sir, you are required. A vessel is flying suspiciously close to First Order space, and—”

“And is this not Hux’s job?” Kylo glared at the device. “I was led to believe that you understood you are not to interrupt me when I meditate.”

“General Hux has already investigated and realized that the ship belongs to the Resistance. It is firing at us, and it seems incredibly adept at dodging our own attacks. It may be necessary that you are needed to, uh, _provide aid_ , if you will.”

“Is _Hux_ ,” Kylo hissed into his comm. “Now incapable of dealing with his own problems?”

“We do not distrust him, sir,” the officer stammered, “But things are getting quite messy here, and we fear that the enemy ship may be calling for reinforcements and—”

 _Damn,_ did Kylo hate Hux’s men—he hated them almost as much as he hated the general himself, and that itself was a feat. Filled with opportunistic officers and incompetent workers and traitorous stormtroopers; it was a cesspool of the most vile, sycophantic people.

Fitting, then, for Hux to be the man to command them.

Kylo was tempted to refuse, but he knew that such immaturity would not do him well in the long run. “Get my shuttle ready,” he said.

“Consider it done, sir.” The officer sounded relieved, and Kylo couldn’t stop himself from rolling his eyes. He was confident it would not be the last time today he would be doing so, so it was quite a fortune that his helmet was adequate in hiding his facial expressions. He slid it on, and with an unactivated lightsaber in hand, ventured out of his quarters.

It made for quite a menacing sight. As he strode down the corridors, stormtroopers actively avoided knocking into him. That was pleasing enough—the bumbling, traitorous soldiers were more hindrances than actual help, and it surprised him little that Hux was in charge of them all. They were more organized once Kylo entered the bridge, and he was thankful for it. He credited this more to Captain Phasma than to Hux though, as she was the one issuing the direct commands to the stormtroopers. Granted, she was carrying out Hux’s orders, but Kylo liked to think that she was more adept than her superior.

“Sir.” Kylo turned around to see the chrome-plated stormtrooper standing not far from him. As she wore a helmet, he couldn’t see her face, but from her voice alone he could hear her surprise and sternness. She was not pleased with him.

“Captain Phasma,” he responded smoothly. “I was called here by one of the officers. He claimed that I was _needed_. I take it that he was incorrect?”

“One of the officers?” Captain Phasma’s voice was sharp. “Do you know his operating number? He was not given the authorization to do that. All insubordination must be taken seriously and punished, especially after the betrayal of FN-2187.”

Kylo liked Captain Phasma—she was direct, she was straightforward, and above all, she was loyal. She would need no manipulation to be comfortable with taking and carrying out orders. After accessing her mind not too long ago, he knew that she had no delusions of taking Snoke’s power for her own. From this, Kylo was quite certain that she would not be an obstacle to him if he played his cards right.

All he needed to do was convince her to choose the right side.

“I do not,” Kylo replied, scowling, though it was hidden due to his helmet. To be called to the bridge for no reason but to relax the nerves of an insignificant officer was offensive at best.

“A pity,” Captain Phasma said. “Do make sure you find out next time. The First Order has no room for disobedience.” She shifted the blaster in her hands. “I do apologize on the behalf of our officers. They are new and inexperienced, and they panic at even a lone-wolf-style attack like this one.”

“A lone-wolf-style attack?” Kylo was surprised. “Only one Resistance pilot is attacking us?”

“The Resistance? This is not a Resistance attack, sir,” Captain Phasma said. “The officer, I’m assuming, who gave you that information is completely wrong.”

“He told me that Hux identified it as a Resistance vessel.”

“Misleading information. It _is_ a Resistance vessel, but we have found that the Resistance reported the ship to be stolen one standard month ago.”

“Who do you think the perpetrator is?”

“I _personally_ believe that the perpetrator is just a person with a grudge against the First Order, but General Hux believes something more sinister. He thinks that the perpetrator wants to raise tensions between the First Order and the Resistance, and though I cannot fathom why, he claims that he has a few ideas. Though in the end, we cannot be sure unless we confirm the pilot’s identity.”

“Hm.” Kylo could see the logic in both possibilities. Initially, Captain Phasma’s theory seemed more plausible, but now that he thought about it, the concept of someone trying to worsen relations further between the Resistance and the First Order was not too large of a stretch either. The most obvious candidate would naturally be the New Republic, although that didn’t mean that smaller factions of criminals and pirates wouldn’t benefit from such a fight.

“You may watch the proceedings, if you’d like,” Captain Phasma offered. “General Hux has intentions to capture the enemy ship. He is commanding the officers himself, and perhaps a second voice such as yours might benefit. Of course, you do not have to—you were called here by a disobedient officer, after all. You are not obligated to watch the battle, if one may call it that.”

“I believe that I’ll see how this vessel is handled,” Kylo said. He had little better to do anyway, and he had no urge be alone again with his thoughts.

And besides, there was no harm in seeing how his future aide-de-camp would handle attacks.

“Understood. Then I will leave you to it. I must take my command.”

“I trust you to succeed, captain. Now, go.”

She didn’t respond as she walked away, but she did give him a single nod before rejoining her troops. Kylo felt a thrum of respect for her—he appreciated her bravery and easy adherence to his orders, but he also liked that she did not mindlessly obey him like the men she was in charge of. At the same time, there was no needless defiance from her. It was refreshing.

Though, speaking of needless defiance…

“Ren,” Hux said coldly, approaching him with firm strides, “I do not recall ordering you to be on the bridge.”

“You do not order me, Hux,” Kylo responded, his voice just as frigid. “I am not one of your men.”

“No,” Hux sneered. “You’re _Supreme Leader Snoke’s_ pampered hound. But do understand that the _Finalizer_ is my ship and therefore, you must respect my command. So respect my command now when I tell you that you are not necessary at this moment. We need the equipment on the bridge to be intact, and I’d much rather not have you go rabid here.”

“I’d much rather stay on the bridge, though, thank you for the offer.”

“It was _not_ an offer, Ren—”

“General! The Resistance ship is opening fire on us!” An officer motioned to Hux frantically.

Hux cursed, gave Kylo a scathing glare, and strode towards the viewscreen. “Report,” he ordered into a comm.

“Sir, the ship is an old model. Terrible deflector shields and—”

“Engage _now_. Have one squadron aim for the hyperdrive,” Hux said, voice sharp. “And destroy the rest of engines. I cannot have this ship escaping.”

“Only one squadron, sir?” Lieutenant Dopheld Mitaka, who fidgeted at Hux’s side nervously, asked. “Surely, we should dispatch more—”

“I will not tire our men for something such as _this_ ,” Hux said curtly. “We will dispatch one more to take out the cannons and aid in retrieving the ship, but that is it.”

“But general—!”

“Lieutenant Mitaka.” Hux gave the young man a scathing look. “Do you doubt my orders?”

“O-Of course not sir! Two, uh, two squadrons will be dispatched!”

Hux’s stance remained as rigid as ever, but there was no mistaking the pleased look on his face. Kylo took note of it. _He likes the feeling of power. He likes being in control._

Kylo watched as TIEs swerved around the ship, sending blasts towards the enemy vessel’s propulsion systems with admirable accuracy. He felt the Force thrum within and around him; it was noticeably excited due to the ongoing battle. It twisted and contorted through his form and at his fingertips, the energy so very malleable and bendable to his whims.

_Pity. So do I._

* * *

 

It was a victory for the First Order.

It certainly wasn’t an unexpected or large one, and there were no exuberant celebrations—this was not the Resistance, after all—but it was a success that gave the morale of the officers a much-needed boost.

Besides, he liked it when Hux approached him, clearly reluctantly, and said, “Ren, the new prisoner is not responding to normal techniques. Your presence is needed in the interrogation rooms.”

“ _Now_ I’m needed?” Kylo asked silkily. Hux scowled.

“Do not make this more difficult for either of us,” Hux said coolly. “It’d be best if we get this done quickly. The information he has may be valuable.”

“Who is he?” Kylo asked, as he began walking side-by-side with Hux to the interrogation room.

“He refuses to say a thing,” Hux said. “And we searched through the database for him and found nothing.”

“Have you met him?”

“Indeed, he is, for the lack of a better term,” Hux said, clearly uncomfortable, “ _Provocative_.”

“Must be exasperating if he can make you so unsettled, Hux.”

“Oh, be quiet.” Hux stopped right in front of a room where, assumingly, the prisoner was being held. “Extract the information from him and we can be done with it. Naturally, he’s my prisoner, so I will be there to watch the interrogation process.”

“Naturally,” Kylo echoed dryly as the door opened for him, allowing him entry. He stepped into the dark room, remembering that the last time he had been here was when he had captured the girl. This time would not be such a failure.

But in the girl’s place laid a man strapped to the interrogation chair—one who had clearly seen better days. He was haggard and exhausted, but there was a strength to him, something Kylo admitted, even though the sight of him made his lips curl in disgust. The prisoner looked more like a smuggler than a Resistance pilot, and there was a smug look to him that was achingly familiar— _like Han Solo_ , something in him whispered.

Kylo already despised this man.

“General!” the prisoner said, a weak grin on his face. “Just when I was beginning to miss you. And,” he said, his eyebrow raising when he noticed Kylo, “You brought company.”

“I will give you one more chance to reveal your identity and your purpose,” Hux said, “Before I allow Kylo Ren to take the reins.”

And the prisoner froze at that—at his name. Kylo stored that information away for future use. The prisoner then swiftly recovered, saying arrogantly, “Take the reins, hm? You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”

“I take that as a no, then.” Hux appeared calm, but Kylo could sense the irritation oozing off of him.

“Eh,” the prisoner said, shrugging, but there was something new smoldering beneath his calm facade now. Anger? Hate? “I always wanted to see what it was like to meet a Force-sensitive. Not under _these_ circumstances, maybe,” he said, testing the metallic bonds that were keeping him locked to the interrogation chair.

“Then it is your lucky day,” Kylo said, and he felt a flash of pleasure when he saw the man flinch, clearly startled. Oftentimes, he forgot how intimidating his voice was when it was altered by the vocoder in his helmet. This was a satisfying reminder. “Because I will show you, in full, what exactly the dark side of the Force can do.”

The prisoner opened his mouth, probably to make a snarky one-liner, but Kylo did not give him the chance because he had already held his gloved hand to the man’s head and _reached_ —

_The burn of the sand beneath his feet, the sensation of it at the corner of his eyes, and he was thankful that it hadn’t blinded him yet. And he... he had family, but where? Who?_

“Get out get out get out get out—”

— _the scorch of the sun on his skin, he had a home, no, he_ once _had a home before it was ashes, destroyed by the, by the—_

Kylo found a barrier, a flimsy one. He broke it, and the prisoner screamed.

— _by the_ First Order _. The First Order destroyed his home, and he_ hated _them. They killed his wife and his son—_

“Get out of my head! _Get out!_ ”

“Then give me your identity.”

“Neve— _aggghhh!_ ”

 _They slaughtered his village—this man,_ Kylo Ren _, slaughtered his village, and he was tearing his head apart, oh it_ hurt _. The village was only a small settlement,_ Tuanul _was, and he left it for only a few days to gather supplies—_

“You always wanted to meet a Force-sensitive, haven’t you?” Kylo whispered, leaning in closer to the man. There were tears streaming down the prisoner’s face. It was rather pathetic. “Considering that you are a member of the Church of the Force, that’s understandable, isn’t it?”

“You piece-of— _ahh!_ ”

“Congratulations,” Kylo said, sneering, “You’ve done more than the rest of your pathetic village has ever even _managed_. Though,” he said, watching the man shake as he delved deeper into his mind. “You are just as insignificant as they were. Do not worry, you will not only join them, you will _die_ the same way, too: completely and utterly forgotten.”

“He will return,” the prisoner snarled. “Luke Skywalker, he will—”

 _It was meant to be their safe haven, a place of peace. Yet they had all been targeted and killed for the sake of a_ map _. He would destroy the First Order—or die trying to. It didn’t know how it destroyed him; he was nameless now, the only people he cared about were dead… but the thought of his wife, his beautiful wife, saying his name when he came home—_

“Heatherik Micsa,” Kylo said. “His name is Heatherik Micsa, and he was from that village on Jakku.”

“From Tuanul?” Hux sounded curious.

“Shut up!” The prisoner, _Heatherik_ , shouted. “You don’t get to say my name! You have no right—”

Kylo pressed further. Another scream.

 _He wasn’t an idiot—he knew he couldn’t destroy the First Order on his own, but he could inspire others to take a stand. He would steal an old, unused Resistance ship and take down one of their Star Destroyers. And perhaps,_ perhaps _if they attempted to retaliate against the Resistance, the Resistance would fight harder than ever and—_

“Get out!!”

And Kylo left. He had no reason to stay there anymore—Heatherik’s mind was utterly boring anyway. Forgettable.

Just like the man himself.

“You were right, Hux,” Kylo said, stepping away from the trembling prisoner. “Both you and Captain Phasma. He is a man with a grudge against the First Order, but he also hoped that if we were to blame the Resistance for the attack, the Resistance would destroy us.” He felt little but contempt. “It sounds pathetically naive, but it is his motivation. What do you think, Hux? _Hux?_ ”

Kylo didn't know what he was expecting when he turned to look at the general, but this wasn't it—not at all. He was completely taken aback to see that Hux’s gaze was filled with horrified fascination and… _admiration?_ And Kylo only had to briefly skim the man’s mind to know that they were borne from his use of the Force on the prisoner.

He was surprised by how much he liked that expression on Hux, especially since he was the cause of it. When Kylo gained his loyalty, he planned on making it commonplace.

“Very good,” Hux said hoarsely when he broke away from his stupor. He then coughed into his hand, clearing his voice. “This information will be analyzed immediately. Now that we have identified him, his files will be investigated thoroughly.” He didn’t even spare another glance at the prisoner. “I must report this at once.” He began to hurriedly walk towards the door, but Kylo didn’t intend to let him go so easily.

“And the prisoner?”

Hux paused briefly, turning around to look at him. “Do you need me to give you orders, Ren?” His eyes were narrowed.

“He is _your_ prisoner, isn’t he?”

Hux appeared surprised, but he quickly hid it. “Do whatever you wish,” he said, waving a hand flippantly. “He’s worthless to me now, anyway.”

And with that, he left the room.

“You think you can kill me—” Heatherik snarled.

“I _know_ I can kill you,” Kylo corrected. “But as I said, I plan on having you die like the rest of your village.”

“What do you—”

And Kylo motioned forward with his hands. Immediately, two stormtroopers came inside.

“Killed by mere stormtroopers,” Kylo said. “Then discarded and left alone, _forgotten_ , for scavengers to feast upon.” He tilted his head to the side. “Then you’ll _truly_ be in solidarity with your village. Do know, however, that you haven't changed anything.” He paused briefly, allowing his words sink in. “You did not kill me. You did not kill a single member of the First Order. We will not attack the Resistance because of you. Your flimsy assault was nothing. You _are_ nothing.” The prisoner was crying in earnest now, and Kylo, who was already on his way out of the interrogation room, couldn’t quite manage to care. “Remember this when you have a blaster to your head.”

And it was not until he was halfway through the corridor when he heard the sound of a blaster shot. Kylo waited for the light to pull at him—to torment him.

It never did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's exhilarating to know that you all seem to like my characterization of Kylo in this fic! I am grateful to all the people who gave this fic kudos, and I am especially thankful to those who commented. You are the ones who motivate me and make me happy—so thank you!


	3. Chapter 3

After giving a furious rant to two officers who had sent the wrong coordinates for a Resistance camp, Kylo had stormed from the bridge, leaving behind frightened— _as they should be_ —officers and destroyed equipment. In the corridors, he saw technicians scrambling down the hall to make repairs, and he sneered at the sight. Utterly pathetic, all of them were. If it was up to Kylo, the first thing he’d do was return to the usage of clones. They were far less inept and much more obedient, and frankly—

“Sir!”

Kylo felt his teeth clench simply from the sound of Lieutenant Mitaka’s voice. He did not have the patience for him.

“I do not have time to deal with you,” he said, and the iciness of those words nearly made Mitaka stumble as he ran down the corridors to catch up. Still, the man was persistent, and though the trait was sometimes admirable, now Kylo found it remarkably irritating.

“Sir, I understand that this is a bad time, but this is an emergency,” Mitaka said once he was close enough to Kylo. “Ge—”

“It better be,” Kylo snarled, sounding terrifying through his vocoder. It was enough to make Mitaka flinch, but then again, it didn’t take much to do that. “I will _not_ be slowed down by the ineptitude of the officers here, so _you better hope you have something important to say_.”

Mitaka audibly swallowed before he managed to speak. “Gen-General Hux. He, well, he is expecting an important transmission from a key ally any day now, and it may prove disastrous for the First Order if he doesn't receive it on time. So—”

“And this concerns me how? That is Hux’s problem.”

“Yes, and I was just getting to that—”

“Do not speak to me with such defiance, Lieutenant.”

“Yes, yes, I’m sorry, sir. My apologies, but I—”

“Stop wasting my time. If you have something to say, say it _now_.”

“Uh, indeed. I’m sorry. It, uh, it appears that the general has left his transmitter in the control room earlier, and—”

“I _do_ hope for your sake that this request isn’t going going the way I think it’s going,” Kylo hissed. “I am not playing _fetch_ for Hux.”

“And I would not expect you to,” Mitaka stammered, “But this is a pretty desperate situation—”

“ _Desperate?_ I cannot see how this is desperate.” Kylo narrowed his eyes, looming over Mitaka. The man tried hard not to shake. “Explain. Just who is this key informant that demands so much attention?”

“Arine Atina,” Mitaka said. “Huge supplier of Resistance intel, has incredible connections. Also, _very_ easily offended and will take a missed transmission as a sign of disrespect. We cannot be bad terms with her, so…” He trailed off.

“And _you_ cannot do it because…?” Kylo’s voice was scathing.

“Captain Phasma needs to speak to me regarding recent issues with certain transmissions and the possibility of the Resistance, or even worse, the New Republic jamming our systems,” Mitaka said, eyes darting away. “And I would send an officer, but I doubt the general will take kindly to a low-ranking individual visiting his quarters without an invitation…”

He wouldn’t. Kylo could feel his eye beginning to twitch. “I was hoping there was a limit to how incompetent officers on this ship could be, but clearly not,” he said frostily. “I will deliver the transmitter _only_ because of the ‘ _desperate measures’_ you told me about, understood?”

“Understood.” Mitaka was relieved as he handed him the transmitter. Kylo was not nearly as pleased, snatching it from the lieutenant’s hand so harshly that it almost made the other man trip.

“Attend to your duties,” Kylo barked, swiveling around on his heel roughly. “And do not _ever_ come to me with a request like this one ever again.”

“Yes, sir.”

He could sense Mitaka’s fear permeating the air even when he began walking away, and his long strides became fiercer as his anger rapidly swelled. Kylo knew that Hux would not be the least bit appreciative of the gesture, so the fact that he was taking time out of his day to deliver the transmitter to him grated on him endlessly. Although he did want the man’s loyalty, he had no desire to speak to him when the only result of such a conversation would be  insults thrown in his face.

The walk to to Hux’s chambers took a maddeningly long time, which only added to Kylo’s growing frustration and ire. The corridors were long and they twisted, turned, and intersected—and why were his quarters so far away from the bridge in the first place? One would imagine that Hux, who valued efficiency more than anything and spent much of his day on the bridge, would have his chambers placed much more strategically.

 _Maybe he just likes long walks in the morning._ Kylo snorted at the sudden thought, finding the possibility very doubtful.

Upon reaching Hux’s quarters, he found himself facing a well-secured door, locked with complicated mechanisms which could only be accessed through certain codes that he didn’t know. Naturally, Kylo could either easily rip the passcode from Hux’s mind or break the door down with his lightsaber, but he wanted his _loyalty_. Taking a more violent option might possibly be detrimental to that plan, so, wisely, he chose to abstain from such methods.

Instead, he used the Force in a more tactful way. Kylo reached his abilities out, felt the sensation of Hux’s mind, and spoke:

_Hux, I need to speak to you._

He sensed the man’s alarm. Then, his anger.

_W-wha—? Ren, exit my mind at once, and—_

_Leave your quarters._

Hux’s mind flared with affronted indignance.

_Leave my—where are you, exactly? You can’t be right in front of my—you are! Why are you outside my door? Is a comm too complex for you to handle?_

_I was impatient. It’s more convenient to come to you, especially when I have something of yours._

There was a coldness to Hux’s mental words now.

_What do you mean?_

_I didn’t think you a careless person, Hux, to leave behind your transmitter when you are expecting an important transmission._

_My—oh. You have my transmitter?_

_Yes. Now open the door._

_And why exactly do you have it, Ren?_

Was Hux toying with him with all these unnecessary questions? Kylo felt astoundingly irritated—the man must be doing this on purpose.

_Just open the door._

_Answer my questions—_

Hux was angry, he could sense that much. But Kylo was angrier, and he was growing more impatient by the minute. He had to end this pointless back-and-forth quarrel that, frankly, wasn’t going in any productive direction.

 _I promise that I will throw this transmitter into the trash compactor if you remain this aggravating, Hux. And if you don’t wish to miss a transmission from the esteemed_ Arine Atina _, I suggest you_ open the door _._

_Are you threatening me, Ren?_

_I think that I won’t be the biggest threat on your list if you don’t get the transmission on time._

_You were_ never _a threat to me, let alone the biggest—_

_Open the door, Hux. Otherwise, I’m leaving._

A pause. Kylo could sense Hux’s reluctant surrender before he even gave it.

… _Very well._

Kylo allowed himself to feel victorious as the door slid open. It was the small battles that counted, sometimes.

“Finally—”

And he was unable to finish the rest of the sentence because he was momentarily too stunned to speak. Hux was standing in front of him now, yes, but there was something distinctly different about him. His hair was slicked back as it always was, but it was done messily in a way that meant he probably rushed it moments before opening the door. It was clear that his great coat and uniform were practically thrown on last second, and Kylo didn't even have to look into his mind to know he'd been frantically getting dressed as he spoke to—no—as he _stalled_ Kylo through the door.

No wonder Hux had been so reluctant to open the door—he had been trying to make himself decent. He hadn’t had enough time, clearly, and Kylo didn't need the Force to know that he was feeling self-conscious—he could see it in the way the man drew himself up defensively, eyes flickering to make sure no one else was in the hall.

“The transmitter,” Hux said curtly, holding out a gloved hand and clearly wanting to get this over with. Unfortunately, Kylo was not so willing to rush anymore, especially with Hux like this. He'd always seen him dressed impeccably without a single hair out of place, and now—

 _It's not such a bad look_ , Kylo thought mildly, but then he found himself alarmed by the strange direction his mind went. He shook his head. A stray thought: nothing more, nothing less. Kylo had more interesting things to focus on—namely, the somewhat disheveled man standing in front of him.

“Count me curious,” Kylo said silkily, “But why did you leave your transmitter behind? You aren't normally so absentminded.”

“And why are you here giving it to me?” Hux sneered, testy due to his situation. “Are you really lowering yourself to a petty task such as this? Or did Supreme Leader Snoke finally tire of you, assigning you to duties as dull as these?”

Kylo felt anger beginning to burn in his chest. Well, clearly his pleasant moods never lasted long when Hux was involved. “I'm here only because of you and your men’s ineptitude, Hux.”

“Ineptitude!” Hux appeared offended. “My men are well-trained and experienced—”

“Well, they _were_ ,” Kylo agreed, “Until the destruction of Starkiller Base killed all the decent ones. Now we are left with young, mediocre troops and officers who've never shot a blaster before in their life—”

“And whose fault is that?” Hux’s lips were curled into a snarl. “Couldn't even defeat a single girl—”

“Starkiller Base was _not_ my responsibility,” Kylo snapped, “It was yours. Your failure is not mine, Hux.”

“Your responsibility is for the First Order,” Hux corrected harshly. “But then again, how could I expect you to have protected Starkiller Base successfully when you couldn't even hold onto _an untrained scavenger?_ ”

“And I should not expect you to understand the Force or Force-sensitives such as that girl,” Kylo retorted, fury simmering within him, “But I will not explain them to you either. That would be a waste of time.”

“That’s remarkable coming from a man who isn’t even a Sith. Snoke had trained you for _years_ , but still you stand before me, not even _close_ to being one—”

 _That is because Snoke doesn’t intend to make me a Sith_ , Kylo thought furiously. _He never did, not even when he looked at me in my eyes and told me that I could continue my grandfather’s legacy if I would only_ listen _to him,_ trust _him. But now I know that I do not need him. I will do so alone—_

“You do not need to be a Sith to know the Force,” Kylo hissed. “Though perhaps I should have known that you wouldn't understand a concept as simple as—“

“No, you don’t,” Hux agreed. “But I know a Force-sensitive without worth when I see one. You can’t possibly still think that you could become a Sith Lord, do you?” His lips curled, revealing two rows of gleaming white teeth. “Do you know what your _mother_ has said about you in a transmission we intercepted only three standard months ago?”

“ _She_ is not my mother—”

“Do you think that if you say it enough times, it becomes true?” Hux gave him a look of utter contempt. “Get over yourself, Ren. General _Leia Organa_ is your mother, and she had a few kind words to say about you. Would you like to hear them?”

Kylo gritted his teeth, but he said nothing. Hux took that as a sign to continue.

“She had said that you would _never_ be a Sith, not even with training. Even if the light stops tempting you, it will never leave you.” Each word was slow and lilting—taunting.

“General Organa—”

“ _Your mother_.”

“She had never understood the Force,” Kylo snapped. “She never trained in it. What she says is _irrelevant_.” _All she knows is being a worthless politician—she only understands giving long speeches while really saying nothing meaningful at all, and saying pretty, empty words to get herself votes._

“It’s a good thing then, that she stated clearly in the transmission that she was only repeating exactly what Luke Skywalker had told her.” Hux gave him a wicked sneer. “Or, does your uncle not know the Force either? Perhaps that explains why he couldn’t manage to train you himself.”

 _What…?_ Luke Skywalker _has said that? Even after all these years, he_ still _thinks that he could analyze me as though I am nothing more than his little Jedi experiment—?_

Kylo’s rage _burned_ inside him; his fists clenched at his sides.

“Too _emotional_ to become a Jedi, too _pathetic_ to become a Sith…” Hux eyed him coldly. “Tell me again, Ren, about how it’s _not_ your ineptitude that made you fail so exceptionally.”

“All your little speech demonstrates is how little you know of the Force,” Kylo hissed, though his insides _simmered_. How dare Leia Organa? How dare Luke Skywalker—?

The worst part, perhaps, was the fact that they were _right_ —

And Kylo felt _fire_.

 _Be quiet! They have no idea what I am capable of becoming, they have_ no idea—

Hux scoffed. “Now, Ren, let's not pretend that you lost because of anything but lack of skill and,” he paused briefly before continuing, a cruel gleam in his gaze, “ _Your father’s_ death—”

“Don't,” Kylo growled, “Mention him.”

“Who? Han Solo?” Hux gave him an ugly smile. “I sometimes wonder how it felt to kill your own father. It must’ve been very intimate—”

 _Mournful eyes, a desperate voice calling out, echoing across the room —“My son is alive” — but it was_ too late. _Still, Han Solo—“_ Never tell me the odds,” _he said when he took a young Ben Solo with him on the_ Millennium Falcon— _persisted, insisting, “No it's not—”_

“Be quiet.” Rage. So much rage boiling beneath his skin that Kylo wanted to tear Hux’s heart straight from the man’s body. It would be _so easy—_

“But I imagine it must have affected you quite a bit, because even as useless as you are, you are never as pathetic in battle as you were that day.” Hux eyed him nastily. “So tell me, Ren, what did Han Solo say to you as he fell to his death? Or rather, what _would_ he have said?”

“ _No, it's not,” Han Solo had said with so much certainty and conviction it was sickening. “Leave here with me,” he had said, so very hopeful—_

“ _Be quiet_ , Hux.”

“What is he saying now, I wonder? He lives on in the Force, correct? You must hear him sometimes—”

“ _Come home. We miss you.”_

“You—”

“You killed him on Supreme Leader Snoke’s command,” Hux jeered. “So very loyal to the First Order that even _I_ find it commendable. I'm sure the master awarded his dog quite nicely afterwards—”

“ _BE QUIET!_ ” Kylo _screamed_ , throat burning and body trembling.

 _How dare he, how_ dare _he—_

It took him a while to recover; there seemed to be too little oxygen in the air and his body was stubborn in its refusal to stop shaking. Once the violent tremors came to a halt, Kylo looked up at Hux, fully expecting the general to be laughing and openly mocking the display.

That was not the case.

Instead, Kylo found his eyes meeting the blank gaze of a man under the influence of the Force. Hux appeared so very _compliant_ in this moment—body lax and still, face expressionless, and eyes glazed. There was something unsettling and repulsive about the sight, because despite how susceptible Hux was now, Kylo found no satisfaction by the idea of a living doll.

 _But_ , Kylo thought, stepping forward and touching a hand to Hux’s forehead, _that does not mean that I can’t take advantage of this situation_.

And he cast out his net, going further into Hux’s mind than he ever could have before without the man noticing. Kylo closed his eyes and let himself _feel_ —

 _Dissatisfaction. Yearning._ Want _._

 _He knew he had the ability to be so much more than this—than eating the scraps of food lying at Snoke’s feet._ Ren _was fine with it perhaps, as he was little more than a filthy stray_ mutt _who would yield to any order his master gave him. But for all the ambition Ren lacked,_ he _had._

 _He was not born with a strange ability that gave him an easy entryway to power. He had to_ work _for it. He planned, he designed, he manipulated—all for the sake of reaching the position he now carried with pride. He had no false belief that being the son of Brendol Hux didn't help his swift rise through the ranks, but his father was insignificant—a mere commandant at an academy. His father was never capable of understanding power, he was too inept to._

 _And that was how they were different from him... why only_ he _would achieve_ true _power in the end—not Ren, who would prefer to eat out of Snoke’s hand than have any intent or desires for himself. Not his father, who had given up his ambitions for a mediocre rank and a pathetic academy in the Outer Rim._

 _Snoke believed him to be subservient, submissive, but that would be his greatest undoing. He underestimated him far too easily, but he would not know that until mere moments before his demise. And then,_ and then—

 _The galaxy would finally learn what a competent ruler was, what_ order _was. After all, he worked hard for the position he had long desired—the power that only an_ emperor _could have. At this point, it was inevitable. All he had to do was tread carefully under Snoke’s watchful gaze and—_

And Kylo eased himself free from Hux’s mind, shattering the trance the general had been in. Hux blinked, disoriented for a few moments before hissing, “I do not know what you did, Ren, but it's quite pathetic you can do so little without resorting to the Force.”

“Right,” Kylo said, too distracted to be truly offended.

Hux’s face was sour. “Give me my transmitter at once.”

And Kylo did, too dazed to do little else. Hux took care in not letting their hands brush as he accepted the transmitter from Kylo’s hand.

“Now this has been a waste of my time,” Hux said coldly, sliding the device into one of his pockets. “If a situation arises that you _need_ to come to my quarters, contact me through a comm, unless modern technology is too complex for you. In that case, send an officer instead.” His lips curled into a sneer. “I have no room for your ineptitude.”

The door then slid shut in Kylo’s face. Still, it was a single thought that broke him free of his stupor—

_Hux wants to be emperor._

It was not a shocking discovery, especially considering that Kylo had long suspected Hux had ulterior motives. But for that suspicion to be confirmed was... something else entirely.

He also felt slighted by the perception Hux had of him in his mind, but that affront only strengthened his resolve to change it. _If anything,_ he reasoned, _being underestimated has done me well in these beginning stages._

The question remained though: how had Snoke not yet discovered Hux’s intent? The man wasn't Force-sensitive, and any barriers he had in his mind were remarkably pliable. What was Snoke doing—was he purposely allowing such dangerous ambitions fester in two highly ranked, equally dangerous men? If so, what was the purpose? And if he didn't know of Hux and Kylo’s treachery, then _why?_

Well, for whatever reason, Snoke was underestimating them both, and Kylo was going to take advantage of that fact. If Snoke truly didn't know of his inferiors’ plotting, then he would exploit the advantage that Hux certainly didn't know of.

But this also meant that Hux was definitely a competitor now—with him wanting the same power that Kylo himself was hungering for. He knew he had to make a deadly obstacle such as Hux a priority, but how he would deal with it was another question entirely. An alliance was out of question, as Kylo knew that neither of them would be willing to share power at all, let alone with each other. Naturally, he could use the Force on Hux and make him more compliant, but that was only a short-term solution. After all, he wanted his _genuine_ loyalty, and such a method would give him not even a single drop of it.

Besides, surely even Snoke would notice such a blatant use of the Force, wouldn't he...?

And also, despite Hux’s own duplicity, Kylo knew that Hux would, without hesitation, report to Snoke any signs of disloyalty from him. Perhaps, he might even resort to sabotage in an attempt to ruin him, which could possibly be disastrous. But either way, Kylo couldn't afford to have another person in a similar standing of power as him, so _somehow_ he had to bring Hux down a few pegs, though—

Wait.

...Sabotage— _that was it._

One of Kylo’s biggest advantages over Hux was his ability to use the Force, and if he were to use it in a more _subtle_ way…

Hux was already doubted by Snoke, so if Kylo were to ruin his reputation further in the eyes of both Hux’s crew—which was already filled with fools and would be easy enough to convince—and the supreme leader himself, he could destroy a massive obstacle and create allies out of Hux’s men, in one fell swoop.

Two birds and one stone, indeed.

And, if Kylo made the right moves, he could even gain Hux’s loyalty too, which was the ultimate outcome he was aiming for.

Kylo grinned, stepping away from the closed door in front of him. There was much left that he needed to consider before making any moves, but he allowed himself to feel some triumph.

This was only a start, but it was surely an excellent one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks to all the people who gave this fic kudos and comments!! As this chapter should be finishing up the exposition, I will give another reminder that this fic will be quite dark and that the relationship between Kylo and Hux here will be _very_ manipulative. If that is not your thing—which is completely understandable—then know that I am still thankful that you gave this fic a chance. 
> 
> And with that being said, I hope that you are all enjoying how this fic is progressing so far because, in all frankness, things will only go downhill for the characters from here.


	4. Chapter 4

“Sir, we’re approaching our destination,” a stormtrooper said. “Any orders?”

“No,” Kylo said, standing on the bridge of his shuttle, observing the gray planet ahead with a strange mixture of trepidation and giddiness. “Stay on course and prepare for landing.”

“Understood, sir.” Kylo purposely ignored the obvious thrums of nervousness he could sense from the stormtroopers steering his ship. As long as they did their duties, he didn't care about how they felt.

Admittedly, Kylo should have been more cautious in bringing aboard others on this secret journey, but then again, it mattered little when the troopers wouldn't say a word about it afterwards. After all, they would be dead once this trip was over. Kylo had no room for error, and he could not afford to take the risk of any of the stormtroopers talking.

It's not as though they couldn't be easily replaced anyway.

“We are preparing to land,” the stormtrooper to his left announced.

“Do it safely,” Kylo warned. “I do not want this shuttle damaged.” If the ship ended up unable to fly, he would have to request help to get off this uninhabited planet that was well beyond the Outer Rim and wasn't even listed in the database. The only reason Kylo even knew of it was because his old master had once mentioned it, and while he knew better than to trust words with no basis, he could think of no better option.

He was well aware that contacting the First Order was detrimental to his plans— _no one_ but him could know about this journey. Granted, they were plans only beginning to blossom: he knew that Hux was aware of the Force and was deeply unsettled by his and Snoke’s ability to use it. That was a good start, as there was never any harm in having the person he was planning to control be at least somewhat afraid of him from the get-go.  

 _Not afraid enough_ , Kylo thought contemplatively as he felt the shuttlecraft begin to descend. _He's too disrespectful to be._

Sabotage was a tricky thing, and he imagined Hux as the type that would be very good at it; however, with the Force on his side, he doubted that even Hux could outsmart him.

Still, Kylo would have to be careful to remain subtle—it would not do to have him suspect anything. He would make sure that his use of the Force remained unnoticed, because though he doubted he would be caught unless he used his abilities recklessly, he still had to be cautious.

He had no doubt that a single mistake could be his downfall.

And of course, Kylo would have to thank Snoke if this plan was a success. After all, using the Force to sabotage Hux would be entirely impossible if his master had been any less imperceptive than he appeared to be now. It was inconceivable to him that Snoke could be so blind to such blatant treachery, but the more and more he got away with, the more apparent that seemed to be the case.

As for Hux, Kylo was also confident that he could use the Force on him without his knowledge, but to be safe, he decided that he should sharpen his abilities before he did so—hence, his covert trip to this in-the-middle-of-nowhere planet. It appeared dull and uninteresting from space, and it was even more so now that the shuttle landed. Kylo’s lips curled as he stepped onto the hard gray rock that appeared to encompass the entire planet, and he gazed at the stony hills that surrounded him on all sides.

He knew that Hux would know if he went anywhere near the Sith temples, but Hux knew hardly anything about their counterparts or the locations of them. And he was certain that anyone could learn the dark side of the Force from Jedi artifacts if they knew where to look.

And Kylo, who had trained under Luke Skywalker’s guidance for years as _Ben Solo_ , knew _exactly_ where to look. He grinned when he saw a hill that was noticeably taller than the rest, one that had faint designs etched on its rugged walls.

“Sir, is that a Jed—?” a stormtrooper began, cautious. He didn't finish his question though, because with a sickening crack, his neck broke right where he stood. The other stormtroopers took frightened steps backwards at the sight of Kylo holding out a hand towards their comrade, appearing menacing and cruel as he flung the body of the murdered trooper to the side.

“Any other questions?” Kylo snarled. No one else dared to utter another word.

With that, Kylo began to walk towards the ancient hill, knowing well that it would reject him. He, naturally, cared little about such paltry rules and had all intentions to force his way in. And so, he raised his hand, casting his net. The Force bended at his will, and the temple began to shake at his violent ministrations.

It was time to begin his studies, and this time, he would learn the Force on his own terms.

* * *

 

By the time Kylo returned to the _Finalizer_ , docking his shuttle with fluid smoothness, Hux was in the hangar bay waiting for him. He stood more rigid and straight than Kylo thought was possible, and in the bright lighting of the _Finalizer_ , he could clearly see the pale features of his face—all sharp and delicate angles, but still decidedly masculine.

Hux was handsome, Kylo found. Perhaps it was just his personal preference, but judging from the passing thoughts of officers on the ship, the opinion wasn't exactly an unpopular one. It was also not as painful to admit as Kylo thought it would be, and he lent it to the fact that he and Hux would be on the same side eventually.

 _Eventually_ , he repeated in his mind as Hux approached him, a frostiness in his narrowed eyes that immediately made his hackles raise. He supposed a confrontation was unavoidable at this point.

“Ren,” Hux greeted once he was close enough, his arms firmly behind his back. “I do not recall anybody issuing orders for you to go beyond the Outer Rim.”

“And I do not recall you being in any position to keep a tracker on me or my shuttle.”

Hux didn't respond the unsubtle accusation, instead, he peered behind Kylo, appearing curious. “And, where are the stormtroopers you brought along with you?”

 _Force-choked to death and vented into space,_ Kylo thought _, but he doesn't need to know that._

“I did not bring your stormtroopers with me,” Kylo said, sneering. “If I wanted incompetent traitors piloting my shuttle, I would have asked.”

“So the disappearances of three stormtroopers that just so happened to coincide with your little trip occurred by chance?”

“Considering the nature of them, I wouldn't see why that would be a stretch,” Kylo replied smoothly. Hux bristled at the statement.

“Statistically, my stormtroopers have shown remarkably better results than their cloned counterparts,” Hux hissed. “There is evidence and documentation proving such. One lone incident does not trounce _years_ of success, and you’d do well to remember that, Ren.”

“And yet, here we have the disappearances of more stormtroopers.”

“I do not know what you've done to them, but—”

“And did you see anything in the recordings? Any proof that I have any hand in their disappearance?”

“All the recordings in the hangar bay during the time you departed on your little journey seems to be corrupted. No stormtrooper had access to those recordings—treacherous or not.” Hux narrowed his eyes.

“So you have no evidence,” Kylo said plainly, acting disinterested.

“Unfortunately not,” Hux said, mocking, “But I'm certain that if nothing shows up in our investigation, Supreme Leader Snoke will be more than willing to provide aid.”

That wasn't good, not at all. Kylo could not allow himself to be under any intense scrutiny of Snoke, and if Hux went to him with his suspicions—

“So you will waste Supreme Leader Snoke’s time with your unfounded assumptions,” Kylo said coolly, but underneath his mask he knew his face was twisted into a furious scowl.

“Please.” Hux was unimpressed. “If our investigations are inconclusive, there is no need to limit ourselves when our leader is Force-sensitive. I imagined you'd agree, considering that the possibility of more stormtroopers being _traitors_ is hardly a trivial matter.” His lips then twisted into a barely perceptible smirk. “Unless, you have your own reasons for your disapproval. Really, Ren, deceit is quite unbecoming, even on you.”

_How priceless when a statement as bold as that comes from the man who fantasizes about being emperor._

Before Kylo could say a word in response, another voice rang out against the din of the hangar bay. It was from an officer who was approaching Hux with swift strides. He froze briefly when he noticed that Kylo was there as well, but he was quick to recover.

“General! A First Order freighter has been attacked!”

“By whom?” Kylo asked, and Hux glared at him. “And what cargo is the freighter transporting?”

“Pirates,” the officer said, his eyes flickering uneasily between the two of them. The tension in the air was obvious. “And it is carrying much-needed supplies such as food, water, and weaponry.”

“Where is the freighter?” Hux asked, eyes narrowed.

“Very close to the _Finalizer_ , sir. I don't have its coordinates on hand, but it was most likely going to request to dock not long after it was attacked.”

Kylo frowned. What were the pirates thinking? Did they not know that such a close proximity with an enemy Star Destroyer undoubtedly meant failure for them? What were their intentions?

Hux though, seemed to have an idea as his eyes hardened immediately. “Officer, see to it that everyone is attending to their stations,” he ordered. “I will be on the bridge shortly.”

“Yes, sir!”

“And _you_ ,” Hux said coldly, swiveling around to face Kylo. “Please resist the temptation to get involved. I have enough people to focus on,” he said, gesturing to the pilots beginning to flood into the hangar bay, “And I have no need for one more; I do not have time your _tantrums_.”

Kylo felt his anger already simmering at the term, but he kept his mouth shut. He reminded himself that this was what he needed—an opportunity, though he didn't think it would come so soon—and this was one of the reasons he had gone to the Jedi Temple in the first place.

Privately, he was already planning on taking time out of his schedule to visit again. Next time though, it would be in preparation for Snoke’s defeat and execution by his hands, and if things went well, Hux would be significantly less moody when he arrived back on the _Finalizer_.

With this placating thought in mind, Kylo said calmly, “Very well, General.” He took an easy step away. “I will return to my quarters. I wish you the best of luck.”

At that, Hux’s eyes widened in momentary shock, the man clearly expecting resistance. He swiftly recovered though, concealing his surprise with frosty indifference.

“I do not need your luck,” he said curtly, turning away on his heel so sharply that Kylo believed his greatcoat might fall off his shoulders.

 _Oh,_ he thought, his gloved fingers curling as the Force twisted around each limb, _but you will._

* * *

 

It wasn't until Kylo reached the confines of his private quarters that he could finally remove his helmet. He basked momentarily in the freeing sensation—closing his eyes and taking deep breaths of unconfined, free-moving air.

Then, knowing he couldn't afford to waste time, he got to work.

Kylo settled on his bed, sitting down so that his legs criss-crossed. He shut his eyes yet again and focused on the Force around him.

He took it, bent it into the distorted shape he needed it to be, and projected.

Kylo couldn't find him at first. It was difficult, because even in spite of how monotonous and drab the other minds on the ship were, there were still many of them. Too many, which made the job much more difficult.

 _Uninteresting, banal, lackluster, bland, bori—ah,_ there _._

Hux’s mind had always stood out from the rest, a point that was especially obvious when there were so many _ordinary_ minds moving about. Even alone, it was complex and intricate and sharp and distinct.

 _This_ was going to be under Kylo’s authority—Hux, brilliant Hux, was going to be brought to heel by his command, and there was something irrefutably powerful about that.

And so, Kylo slowly, carefully slipped into his mind, discreet enough that his presence went undetected, and then—

…

_Hux was standing on the bridge._

_He watched as his officers did their duties, putting all their efforts into making this another success for the First Order. Hux knew the ones who worked closest to him by name—people_ liked _it when others knew who exactly they were—and although he didn't necessarily care for his subordinates, he liked that they were hardworking, committed, and devoted to their cause._

 _And_ that _was what made strong soldiers, he decided as the TIE fighter squadrons he dispatched flew across the viewscreen. When pilots and officers believed in what they were fighting for, they became that much more formidable._

“ _Report,” Hux ordered into the comm._

“ _We are all prepared to engage, sir, all we need is the coordinates of the freighter.”_

“ _Sending the coordinates now,” Hux said, reaching his hand towards the transmitter to do exactly so—_

And then Kylo—thinking, _we can't have that, can we?_ —pulled, gently as to not alert anyone…

_Hux’s body twitched suddenly, and although the occurrence wasn't a common one, it wasn't severe enough to catch his attention._

Kylo made sure that he would be more subdued next time.

 _Shaking his head, Hux pressed in the coordinates_ —which were, unbeknownst to him, slowly but firmly pushed into his mind by Kylo’s mental influence— _and sent them to the squadrons. It was a simple, normal task for him._

_Well, it should have been._

“ _Uh, sir? There's nothing here.”_

_Hux narrowed his eyes. “What do you mean?” he demanded. “They couldn't have moved so quickly—”_

“ _General,” a technician said, slowly and nervously, “You, uh, sent the wrong coordinates, I believe.”_

_Annoyance, but faint. It was an embarrassing error certainly, but in the light of everything else, he doubted that it would cause any significant damage to him._

“ _Send the correct ones then,” Hux barked at another officer, though he privately wondered what caused him to make such a rudimentary mistake. He then pushed it to the back of his mind—he would think on it later, but now, he had to focus on the task at hand so that a similar blunder could be avoided._

“ _Sir, we have reached the freighter. Its engines appear to be severely damaged. I doubt it will be able to move anywhere soon.”_

_Hux opened his mouth, about to issue commands to engage—_

Kylo grasped and tugged. Hux’s mind spasmed in response, beginning to sense the unwanted intruder and attempting to expel it. He felt momentarily annoyed by his own impatience and reminded himself to tread more carefully in a relatively unexplored mind. He held himself still until Hux calmed around him.

_Hux felt a flaring pain in his head, and he had to stop himself from grasping it. The ache was relatively short-lasting, but he could not show weakness in front of his officers. Still, Hux decided that if it continued, he would visit the medbay._

“ _Initiate a scan,” Hux told a nearby officer._

“ _A—what? On the freighter? I, uh—okay, sir.”_

_It took only moments till Hux drew himself back, horrified by his own order. The officer started speaking._

“ _It's a—”_

“ _Never mind,” Hux said, cutting him off. He began to speak into a comm instead, saying, “Fire at the—”_

Kylo gave a small nudge to his mind, remarkably gentle now. He believed that he finally learned the correct strength for the technique as this time, Hux hardly even flinched.

“— _fire at the missiles and cannons of the enemy ship,” Hux said into the comm._

“ _Not at the engi—?”_

Another nudge.

“ _No. Fire at the weaponry.”_

_A pause. Yet again, Hux found himself taken aback by his previous order and immediately attempted to fix it. “No—ah, all squadrons aim for the engin—”_

“ _Sir, we struck down the missiles and the cannons, but the ship has made the jump into hyperspace. We believe that the pirates have taken most, if not_ all _of the cargo.”_

 _Fury. Embarrassment. What was_ that? _What were those orders? Why would he make those ridiculous calls? Hux hadn't had made errors as embarrassing as those since, since—_

“Weak—”

_Hux shook his head, not allowing the memory to fester._

Kylo wanted it to. He wanted to see the memory for himself. But that would happen another day, a day when he knew how to navigate Hux’s mind more skillfully.

Or better yet, when Hux allowed him to.

_He could feel the shocked and uncertain looks from the officers on him. They didn't know how to feel about the unexpected failure or the incompetence of their general during the attack._

“ _Ah, you must have not slept well last night, general,” Lieutenant Mitaka said, false cheer in his voice. “It happens to the best of us.”_

_The officers did not seem convinced. And neither did Captain Phasma, who came on the bridge with slow, steady steps. Her expression was concealed by her helmet, but no one could mistaken the grave air that clung to her._

“ _Sir, perhaps you'd better get rest?” she offered, quietly so that the other officers wouldn't overhear. “You do appear worn out. I can assume responsibility of this situation from this point onwards while you recover.”_

She was lying. She was certain that Hux simply made bad calls, and she did not believe in the slightest that he did so due to exhaustion.

_Hux was about to refuse, but—_

A small pull here.

_He did accept. “Perhaps I should,” he said quietly, reluctantly. “I trust that you can take command of the bridge?”_

“ _You can, sir.”_

“ _Very well,” he said. He was about to speak to the officers, perhaps attempt to redeem his image if even minimally—_

A tug.

_But he decided not to, and he departed, feeling both infuriated and ashamed as he walked to his quarters. The officers were quiet but unsure as he left, and Hux heard Phasma address the bridge: “We will need a new shipment to arrive—”_

It was at that point Kylo freed himself from Hux’s mind. He had no reason to be there anymore, not when the damage had been done.

He found himself back in his room, and for a few moments, he had to adjust to the darkness. That naturally didn't stop the pleasing sensation of triumph from running through his every vein, spreading within his body in a fluid-like manner.

But Kylo could bask in his victory later. Now, he had someone to visit.

* * *

 

He intercepted him moments before he reached his chambers.

In fact, Hux was only a handful of steps away from his door when Kylo politely coughed in his hand, alerting him to his presence. He nearly jumped at the sudden sound, but he concealed that surprise with a nasty glare directed in Kylo’s direction.

“Ren,” he sneered. “I suppose you're here to gloat.”

“A failure for the First Order is one for me as well, Hux,” Kylo said smoothly. “You told me yourself: my responsibility is for the First Order.”

Hux snarled, “And I also made it clear that _one lone incident does not trounce years of success_ —”

“That does not change the fact that you couldn’t defeat _pirates_.”

Hux’s face reddened at the insult. Kylo hardly saw him so uncomposed, but he liked it—he liked that he was getting to him. It was a welcome change from Hux’s normally unaffected attitude towards his insults.

“I find it pathetic,” Hux spat. “That you feel so pleased with yourself due to one failure of mine. You must be _considerably_ insecure, Ren.”

“So you admit that it was a failure.”

Hux’s lips curled at this. “I am not in denial as you are.”

Kylo felt anger twist in his chest, and he was certain it showed on his face. Good thing that he was wearing his helmet then.

“I'm not in denial,” Kylo said icily. _Not anymore._ “But that's beyond the point, isn't it?”

“There is no point to this,” Hux replied, his voice just as frosty. “You tell me about my defeat, yet you don't mention yours. My failure is the loss of a single freighter ship; your failure is the loss of the girl who wields the Force. Now, she is likely being trained by Luke Skywalker as we speak where she will grow even stronger. If you could not defeat her when she was untrained, how could you possibly win when she becomes a Jedi?”

 _Because I am training too, and unlike her, I am training without limitations._ That _is what will make me victorious._

Kylo didn't voice those words. Instead, he suggested coldly, “You should not doubt Supreme Leader Snoke. He promised he would complete my training, and therefore, he will.”

Hux’s eyes flashed at that, and he thought so loudly that Kylo could hear—

— _Snoke’s personal lapdog—_

—and rage _burned_ beneath his skin, and his vision was a vivid red—

But no.

Kylo didn’t act on it. Somehow, _somehow_ —perhaps it was from his training at the Jedi Temple, but even he wasn’t quite sure—he restrained himself, but it was so sudden that it mentally hurt. He wasn't used to holding back, he never was, not even when he was training to be a Jedi.

_Which perhaps, only proves how unsuited I was to be one._

Either way, Kylo forcibly calmed himself. He took in slow, deep breaths, and gradually relaxed each muscle.

Hux thought him as Snoke’s hound—mindlessly obeying and having no ambition of his own. That was made blatantly obvious during his trip into Hux’s mind not too long ago, and it was reaffirmed now by his stray, loud thought.

 _Perhaps,_ Kylo thought, _it is time to change that._

By the time he was ready to pay attention to the conversation again, Hux was already mid-speech. “—and frankly, I doubt even Supreme Leader Snoke could change that, no matter how much you—”

“Hux.”

“—say otherwise, because—”

“ _Hux._ ”

“—judging from how you haven't managed to succeed at anything despite how long you've been trai—”

“Hux. _Be quiet._ ”

He emphasized his words by crashing a pot from the other end of the corridor against the wall next to Hux’s head. Hux flinched from the noise, his eyes widened and startled, mouth slightly open.

“I believe,” Kylo said in a low tone, taking leisurely steps towards him. A wave of his hand, and all the devices recording this area of the hallway crumbled into unrecognizable pieces. “I should make something clear to you, Hux.”

Hux, still not fully recovered from his previous shock, stumbled backwards, his back hitting the corridor walls, eyes flickering between the shattered glass on the floor, the broken equipment, and Kylo’s steady approach.

“You think me—” Kylo began, but he was then interrupted by Hux, who had finally regained his composure.

Rage twisting the fine features of his face, Hux snarled, “How _dare_ y—”

Kylo felt fury, and he reached a hand out—

And Hux was cut off with a choked gasp. Kylo could feel his panic— _he could_ kill _me and nobody will know until they notice I'm gone because he destroyed any possibility of this being recorded_ —at the sensation of the Force closing around his throat. Hux desperately pressed his head against the wall, attempting to escape it, but was unable to.

Kylo wasn't choking him, no, but he was warning him that he _could_. And that was the reason for the fear and outrage and helplessness coming off of Hux in waves so strong that they were nearly palpable.

And to think that for _years_ before this very moment, Kylo had seen the man as unassailable. _But look at him now_ , he thought, and, not for the first time, he was glad to be proven wrong.

“Do _not_ interrupt me,” Kylo said. Hux initially appeared tempted to try, but he clearly thought better of it and kept his mouth shut. His eyes though, which burned with hatred, said enough.

“You have never shown me respect, not when we first met, and certainly not now,” Kylo said, voice icy. “You do not think I am worthy of it.”

“I give my respect to those who deserve it,” Hux bit out scathingly. “You are not one of them.”

“Is Snoke one of those individuals?” Kylo asked curiously. “What makes him worthy?”

“I do not answer to you,” Hux hissed.

“Don't you?” His voice was deceptively light. “It is good then, that I have other methods to get what I want.” Hux’s eyes flashed with terror, and Kylo knew that at that moment—memories of Heatherik Micsa surged in Hux’s mind, as did images of the prisoner screaming and begging—he knew exactly what was to come.

Well, not _exactly_ , for Hux had only seen it. No one really could imagine the extent of the agony inflicted on a person when the Force was used in such a violent, painful way. At least, not until they actually experienced it.

Kylo hoped that Hux would never have to. Though if worse came to worst, he may end up not having a choice.

Hux scathingly spat out, “Are you _threatening_ me, Ren?”

“It is remarkably easy to do so.”

“When I tell Supreme Leader Snoke of this behavior—” Hux snarled, his voice filled with abhorrence.

“Will you now?” Kylo was amused. “And what will you tell him, Hux? That you were too _weak_ to fight me off? That you couldn't handle me alone?” His lips curled underneath the mask into a sneer. “Will this be another failure for you—just another addition to the pirates and Starkiller Base? What will Snoke think of this? Of _you_?”

“You have _no right_ to threaten me with your Force abilities—”

“Why can't I? I was born with this ability; I trained for the sole purpose of wielding it. Why can't I use it? Why would Snoke reprimand me for using the talent he's been trying to teach me for years?”

“You entitled child.” Hux looked at him with complete and utter contempt. “I _swear_ —”

“You swear on what?” Kylo looked at him with disinterest. “The Force certainly doesn't favor you.” He paused, letting the words sink in. “And neither does Snoke.”

And Hux—Hux with his uniform in disarray and hair messed up due to him being pushed up against the wall... Hux looking at once so very angry and vulnerable—had never been so attractive to Kylo until this moment. It was exhilarating. Thrilling.

_Addicting._

Kylo wanted more. And because he could have it, he would.

But not now. _Not yet._

And with that, Kylo released him. Hux nearly crumbled then and there, and Kylo had to admire that he was still able to stand.

“If you'd like—tell him,” Kylo offered, stepping away from him. “But do consider, General, who among the two of us is _disposable_ to him.”

Hux said nothing. He was simply grasping at his throat, glaring at him so viciously that if looks could kill, Kylo imagined he'd be dead where he stood.

“Good night, Hux,” Kylo said pleasantly. “And rest well. I was told it was your tiredness that caused your failure in today’s battle. I should hope that you remedy that before you have a repeat performance.” And just before he left, he delivered one more blow: “Not even respect could save you from Snoke’s wrath, I fear.”

Kylo could sense his fury even when he was at the far end of the corridor. But even louder than that was Hux’s single thought, so loud that is seemed to echo down the halls.

_He's a threat._

Kylo smiled. He found that he liked that much better than ‘ _Snoke’s dog’_. From what he sensed, there was hardly any lingering thoughts of the latter in Hux’s mind anymore.

And he planned on keeping it that way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to the people who have given this fic kudos, and I give my immense gratitude to those who have commented, as comments motivate me to write more for this fanfic.


	5. Chapter 5

The next attack came only a standard week later. It was just as close - no, _closer_ \- to the _Finalizer_ than the previous was, and it was all very suspicious.

Popular opinion onboard was that the New Republic was paying criminals a good sum for these suicide missions, and although Kylo knew that Hux privately agreed, he didn't voice it. After all, there was no evidence to support such a theory.

Not yet, anyway.

On the morning of the attack, Kylo had woken up to the sensation of stormtroopers and pilots making their way quickly down the corridors. He hadn’t heard them since they all avoided the hallways near his quarters, fearful of his ire, but he felt them through the Force and that was enough to break him from his sleep.

Kylo hadn’t been informed of the situation—he was fairly sure that Hux had explicitly made certain of that—but he didn't need to be when he was a Force-sensitive.

From what he’d sensed, mercenaries had taken control of yet another supply ship of the First Order, which made it hard to believe that these recent attacks had happened by coincidence. Meanwhile, Hux had taken command of the situation, and despite his recent failure, most officers seemed to have assured themselves that the drawback was only a one-time incident.

Kylo had thought that such a misconception should be swiftly corrected.

And, he had made it so.

“ _Disengage.”_

“ _Disen—sir, with all due respect—”_

“ _Are you doubting my command, Lieutenant Mitaka?”_

“ _N-no, sir. Pilots, disengage._ Yes _, now.”_

For example, Hux had _just so happened_ to miss a clearly prime time to attack, and when the mercenaries had been counting on the First Order ordering the pilots to—

“ _Maintain positions, squadrons.”_

“ _But general—”_

“ _Is the comm not working? Maintain positions.”_

“ _Sir, my squadron is doing_ nothing _while the mercenaries—”_

“ _I gave you explicit orders—”_

“ _General, the ship is—”_

“ _Don’t move your TIE fighters.”_

“ _Sir, the enemy ship is rapidly approaching. Are you absolutely certain—?”_

“ _D-don't move.”_

“ _General, you appear unwell, should you retire to your—?”_

“ _I said_ do not move _, do you not understa—?”_

“ _SIR, THE SHIP HAS—”_

“ _What has happened? Do you copy? I repeat: do you copy?”_

“ _General, the enemy ship has exploded on itself. It… We think that the mercenaries intended this, though we will have to investigate to confirm. It seems that it took out nearly a whole squadron, but we will need to conduct thorough searches to see if there are any survivors—”_

“ _What? I-I mean—yes. Yes, lieutenant, we should, no, we_ need to _check all damages and casualties a-and—”_

And so, Kylo did what had to be done, and he did it well. After all, not only was the sabotage successful, but he also found that _yes_ , Hux sometimes winced when he manipulated his mind, but there were no more headaches or reactions of that ilk.

Personally, Kylo liked to think that he was becoming accustomed.

Also, it seemed that the crew onboard was finally beginning to become a little more critical. And criticism was good, especially when it came to encouraging a change of loyalties.

— _the fact that it was a suicide attack should have been obvious, yet—_

— _not many lives were lost, but it easily could have been avoided—_

— _the general should have seen it coming—_

— _what’s up with him? First the pirates, now_ this—

— _he's lost his touch—_

—’ _maintain positions’? What kind of order is—?_

— _has he_ ever _been a decent general? I mean, considering how Starkiller Base turned out—_

These were the furious thoughts of officers and pilots—all irrelevant people, of course, but whose opinions _as a whole_ mattered. To hear dissent spreading among them was infinitely pleasing, especially taking into account that they were _technically_ Hux’s inferiors.

And what power did a general hold if none of his soldiers followed him?

Kylo smiled. He sensed Hux’s frustration and anger without even having to look for it, and he credited that to his growing familiarity to his mind, and perhaps, his growing ability with the Force—both of which he planned on cultivating further.

But _first…_

Now in the wake of Hux’s third failure, Kylo waited. Not for Hux, no, but for someone whose allegiance would be particularly beneficial to him. He sensed this person, distantly at first, but she walked steadily across the long corridors with methodical strides, unknowingly closing the gap between them with each step she took. When he could feel that she was _right there_ , she made a sharp turn around a corner and—

“Sir.”

Kylo looked up, smiling behind his helmet.

“Captain Phasma. It is a surprise to see you walking down these corridors.”

She was doubtful of that. She thought, _things are never a surprise for you. I don’t understand the Force, but I know that much_. Still, she said, “I see.” Her armor gleamed, and she held her blaster at her side—Kylo never saw her without either. “I am on my way to speak with pilots regarding our recent loss to the mercenaries.”

“Yes,” Kylo agreed. “Our loss. It was an utter _embarrassment_. I can only hope that such displays of weakness do not encourage dissent.”

“Strategies are already being implemented to slow the spreading news,” Phasma replied. “Right now, we are having talks with several of our lead co—”

“Were you on the bridge during the battle?” Kylo asked conversationally. He knew she wasn’t.

“I was not, sir.”

“Me neither,” Kylo said. “But I do know, in detail, what happened.”

 _He used the Force,_ Phasma thought. She said, “I know what had generally occurred. I was on my way to find more details on the matter.”

Kylo smiled.

“I could tell you,” Kylo said, voice low and almost conspiratory. “How our esteemed General Hux made our pilots disengage in the throes of a winning battle—how he made them maintain positions, even when the enemy ship approached and exploded on itself, taking out almost a whole squadron.” He spoke smoothly and without pause, “It's concerning, really. Perhaps the destruction of Starkiller Base took a toll on the general’s health. It would not be _too_ much of a surprise, considering that it was practically his life’s work—though I once imagined that he knew enough of history to avoid having a significant weapon's weakness so accessible to enemy ships. Then again,” he said, grinning underneath his mask. “Look at the extent of his abilities, displayed to us in these two recent battles. It speaks _plenty_ of him.”

Phasma tensed. “Sir, I work both under and alongside General Hux, and I can only tell you that he is brilliant. I am not certain what the cause is of these recent failures, but I do not think that anyone can deny the general’s talents.” She then added icily, “And I do not appreciate what you are attempting to do. My first and foremost allegiance is to the First Order, but I am also loyal to my commanding officer.”

“I do not know what you are accusing me of, captain,” Kylo said calmly. “And I did not intend to disparage a man as remarkable and skilled as General Hux. But,” he said gravely. “My loyalty is also to the First Order above all else. I believe we both have _that_ in common.” More placatingly, he added, “I only expressed my worry about the current leadership—I wish it well, of course, but it does not seem to be. Are you not unsettled by our recent losses?”

 _What is he planning?_ Phasma thought uneasily.

“I'd be a fool not to be. But,” she spoke firmly, though there was now some caution in her voice. “I have trust in General Hux to properly command our fleets and the officers aboard the _Finalizer_.”

 _Like he has been doing?_ Kylo thought sarcastically in turn.

Instead, he only said, “I hope that such a noble sort of trust will not be betrayed.” He took a step away, voice pleasant as he continued, “Good day, Captain. You have a meeting with some pilots scheduled now, and I do not wish to keep you.”

He could sense that Phasma was at first taken aback by his abrupt farewell, but she didn't show it. “You too, sir,” she said rigidly. He stepped aside, allowing her to move past him and continue down the hall to where her discussion was taking place.

Kylo smiled at the new unease churning in her mind as she walked away. He had planted a seed there, whether she liked it or not.

 _He_ certainly did.

After all, Phasma was efficient. She wasn’t abrasive, and she didn’t pick needless battles. She was invaluable.

And, she was loyal.

Kylo wanted her on his side. And as long as her commitment was to the First Order before Hux, he knew he would have her.

He just needed time—and of that, he had plenty.

* * *

 

It was in the aftermath of the third defeat by petty space criminals that Snoke called for Kylo again.

It wasn't entirely unexpected—he had been long anticipating the inevitable meeting between him and his supposed master. Frankly, he was more surprised that it had taken so long. Snoke tended to do that—he liked having his inferiors on edge. As someone who depended on fear to control people, he could not afford anyone feeling comfortable.

 _Except for me,_ Kylo thought bitterly, _he wanted me_ too _comfortable. Since I am important to whatever he’s planning, he’d revised his technique just to keep me and my abilities in line. And it worked._

 _...But not any longer,_ he promised himself.

Kylo stood in front of the doors that were the last barriers between him and the holochamber. They filled him with a quiet sort of dread. Once, they had made him feel nothing but awe, but he knew better now.

He would never let himself be led blindly again. He would not allow himself to depend completely on someone and pretend that they weren't using him for their own purposes, under a guise of something else—

Of kindness, like how Luke Skywalker had smiled at Ben when he had restrained himself with the Force for the first time, the process so painful that he had practically bawled in agony as his master assured him, “You will be a great Jedi,” as though that was what Ky- _Ben_ ever wanted.

Of love too, when Leia Organa had spoken to her lonely son, who was only a child then, her words brief and quick as she had rushed between two meetings. “I love you, Ben, truly I do, but I just have so much work—maybe when you're older you can join me, you'd be a brilliant senator, you know,” as if she hadn’t been emotionally manipulating him into becoming what she desired him to be, by bargaining her affection in turn for his compliance. She must have known that Ben would have done _anything_ for it at the time. And if she hadn’t, then she had been a blind _fool_ —

Of love, when Han Solo had told Kylo what Ben needed to hear years ago—years ago when Han had awkwardly stumbled around his very own child and given him measly toys from his smuggling trips to substitute the emotional attachment he’d really needed. Ben had found it cathartic to shatter each one of the worthless baubles with the blade of his lightsaber, and he had watched with rapt interest as the meaningless bits of foreign wood and plastasteel shattered and splintered under the strength of his weapon.

And _Snoke_ —Snoke was pretending to _care_ for Kylo; looming over him as he smiled and praised, “You did well, my apprentice; you trusted my teachings and succeeded... See how they were holding you back?” As though he hadn’t been lying through his _brittle, filthy teeth—_

Kylo’s face was twisted into an ugly snarl by the thought, his fists trembling with anger. He had to take a few moments to calm himself, because he could not enter the holochamber like _this_.

_They will all pay for manipulating and lying to me—deceiving me into thinking that my worth depended on them. Han Solo already has, and I will ensure that the rest will follow._

Kylo’s eyes gleamed.

 _I will finish what Darth Vader,_ my grandfather _, has started. It is inevitable at this point. I_ _will learn from his mistakes, and I_ _find that his_ _greatest_ _fault_ _was yielding to the emperor—letting himself be led and looking to his superior, not himself, for guidance._

 _I will_ not _make the same error_ , Kylo decided, conviction lacing each word as the door to the holochamber slid open. And after briefly closing his eyes, silently preparing himself, he stepped inside.

It took only a few strides into the room for Snoke to appear, his form enormous and overwhelming, and Kylo had to remind himself that this was simply a hologram—a farce to make him appear larger than he really was.

He _froze_ at that, utterly horrified, cursing inwardly at himself. If those thoughts were heard—

“My apprentice.” Snoke spoke benevolently, looking down at him with beady black eyes.“It is always a pleasure to see you.”

Kylo tensed. Nothing? Did Snoke _not_ know?

“Yes, my master,” he spoke as calmly as he could muster.

“I trust that the light hasn't been tempting you?” Snoke inquired.

“It hasn't.”

“Good, very good,” Snoke praised, a slight smile on his ghastly face. “I'm certain that you have been awaiting your training.”

“I have,” Kylo said. It was a blatant lie—he didn't care for anything Snoke had to teach him, but it didn't seem like he would be caught for his dishonesty, though he wasn't certain _why_.

And there was something _off_ about him... And although the words sat at the tip of his tongue, Kylo couldn't figure out what it was.

_Has Snoke always been this pale?_

“Very good,” Snoke said, hoarse voice echoing across the holochamber. “You've been doing well, but you have much left to learn. Do you recall the last time you stood in front of me, just like this?”

“Yes.” _I stood in front of your hologram, not you, and—why do you seem so much less intimidating now?_

“Then you must remember what I told you,” Snoke said, leaning his scrawny form forward.

“I do.” _Why does it look as though your bones can be so easily shattered?_

“Do you trust me?”

“With my life.” _Why did you appear so much stronger when you first came to me years ago?_

“Then you are prepared for the next step of your training,” Snoke said, slitted dark eyes gleaming like a snake’s. “Do you think yourself ready, my apprentice?”

“If you think I am ready, then I am, my master.”

If Kylo looked closely enough, he could see how Snoke’s hands trembled—how the hologram froze at points, as though he was hiding his own fragility. Could it be…?

 _Are you_ weakening _, my master?_

Snoke’s mouth curled upwards. “Yes. Yes, you _are_ ready.”

_From illness? From injury? Or from something else that even I can't understand—?_

“It will strengthen you and destroy all that's left of your connection with the light,” Snoke promised.

 _Or is it_ the Force _that's doing this to you?_

“I am tempted by the light no longer, Master Snoke.”

“Indeed,” Snoke agreed. “But the connections are still there—the _disease_ will constantly pull at you, corrupting the darkness within you. To progress your training, we must remove it all.”

“How?”

Snoke loomed above him, his serpentine eyes filled with cold black fire.

“Kill them all—Luke Skywalker, the Jedi who repressed you,” he said, voice fervent and nearly hypnotic. “Your own mother, Leia Organa, whose neglection spoke louder than her meaningless words.” Each word was honeyed. Toxic. “The girl, _Rey_ , who defeated and humiliated you.” His dark robes hung over his feeble body as he urged, “Send them all to the same place where Han Solo is. Then, you will truly understand what it means to have your chains broken. As long as they live, they will haunt you. You must remedy this.”

_Why are you so intent on having me kill them? To avoid me giving into the light? But I would only need to kill Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa to do that. I have hardly any connection to the girl—why are you rushing this?_

_Unless…_

_You don't want any Force-sensitives to remain... But why? Why do you so badly want to wipe them out? Do you feel threatened by them? Are they the reason why you are becoming so weak? Is the presence of other Force-sensitives_ draining _you?_

 _Why? Do you depend on the Force to survive? Do you need unrivaled control of it to have strength? Is that why you cannot sense treachery among your ranks? None of it makes sense to me… But no one_ truly _ever understands the Force, do they?_

 _I cannot comprehend what is happening to you, Snoke, but I do understand that you are_ weak _now—that you no longer possess the ability to bend the Force to your will anymore. But you want it back, don’t you?_

_And I also know that I will kill no Force-sensitive until you are dead at my feet. Trust me with that._

But Kylo only said, “It will be done,” and his false master smiled down at him.

“Very good,” Snoke said, eyes glittering. “You may return to your quarters then. The next time we meet, I expect to hear success.”

“Then you will have it,” Kylo promised. And as he walked to the doors that he entered from, he felt Snoke’s gaze burning on his back.

It was not as unsettling as Kylo thought it would be. And the moment the doors closed behind him, cutting him off from the holochamber, he began planning.

First, he decided, he must find out where Snoke was. Kylo could possibly search for him through the Force, but he wasn't certain where to even begin looking. _But,_ if he had someone on his side who had experience in navigating the database and searching through old Imperial archives, someone who was an expert in strategizing—

 _Ah_ , Kylo thought, momentarily surprised, _speaking of._

Hux was striding down the corridor towards him, which meant he either was going to the Holochamber, or wanted to speak to Kylo. With a quick brush of his mind, he knew that it was the former.

 _A shame._ Kylo thought idly. It would be interesting to have a conversation with Hux after his recent failures. Perhaps— _hopefully_ —they had knocked him down a few pegs.

It certainly looked as though they had. Hux hid it well, but Kylo could sense his fear—Snoke must have called for him. And he clearly wanted him alone too, which was odd, considering that he rarely spoke to Hux privately.

Kylo wasn't entirely sure what this meant, but it couldn't be good—at least not for Hux. To Snoke, Hux wasn't _easily_ replaceable, but that didn’t mean it was impossible. There were people who could be passable generals—they were second rate and not nearly as talented, yes, but they were also more obedient and less conniving.

Kylo was certain that only reason Snoke hadn't gotten rid of Hux for a mediocre but more easily manipulatable officer was because he saw his distinct skill and talent as a tactician.

Now that Hux was losing _that_ , though...

He was right to be frightened. He was disposable to Snoke, and the implications of that were absolutely _terrifying_.

And why shouldn't Kylo take advantage of this?

Hux scowled as they passed by each other, but Kylo hardly gave him even a glance in return—he didn't need to, when he could feel him through the Force. And oddly enough, as Hux’s eyes momentarily trailed down his unmasked face, Kylo didn't feel the discomfort he was initially expecting.

 _This_ , he decided, _is what progress is._

* * *

 

A few standard days later, there was something different about the _Finalizer_.

Kylo had noticed this the moment he entered the main corridors, recognizing the tense atmosphere that hung in the air like storm clouds. The silence that Kylo had long grown used to was now deafening, and officers fidgeted uneasily as they attended to their stations.

He couldn't even guess why, but before he could even reach out with the Force to find out—

Ah.

Hux was standing by the monitors in the control room, issuing commands to stormtroopers. It wasn't too odd of a sight—sure, this was more of Captain Phasma’s job than Hux’s, but he _was_ her commanding officer. It really wasn’t an issue if he wanted oversee her duties. Frankly, Kylo cared little for what he did as long as it didn't cross the unspoken boundaries he set forth. No—he was much more interested in the state Hux was in than anything else at the moment, and it was obvious why.

The esteemed general appeared to be agitated—the darkness was more pronounced under his eyes, and he was blinking so rapidly at times it was as though he was struggling to stay awake. His normally neat hair was messy, with several strands hanging loosely over his pale forehead. His uniform was worn correctly, but it was wrinkled in certain areas.

This lead Kylo to the conclusion that Hux fell asleep with it on.

His obvious exhaustion wasn't a surprise, not exactly, not when Hux’s health had clearly been deteriorating since his meeting with Snoke a few standard days ago. Kylo didn't know what happened during the meeting—he had been too busy searching for Snoke’s location to actually find out—but the stress emanating from Hux was obvious.  

He briefly touched his mind, and he watched as foreign images appeared to him—images of sleepless nights and scrapped blueprints and _why are these all so terrible, why am I unable to do them_ right—? And Snoke’s cold, cold eyes as he loomed over him, monstrous, speaking frostily, “If you fail me _one more time_ , general—”, and—

—and “—you _WEAK_ boy”—

Kylo pulled away, and he allowed himself to bask in the sensation of Hux suffering so potently. Briefly, so very briefly, he wondered if he should feel guilt—

“— _you killed him on Supreme Leader Snoke’s command. So very loyal to the First Order that even I find it commendable. I'm sure the master awarded his dog quite nicely afterwards—”_

—and felt a rush of satisfaction in its stead. _But still_ , Kylo reminded himself, he should think about _what_ Hux’s mind has presented him rather than how easily it had yielded to him. After all, he had all the time in the world to celebrate his victories later.

 _But_ , he thought, eyes trailing down Hux’s disheveled hair, his stressed, scared face, his lean built beneath a sleek black uniform. Memories pushed forward—memories of him cornered against the corridor wall, frightened and hyperaware of Kylo’s power, fearing the hold he had over of him and knowing how helpless he was. _There is no issue in indulging in the awards I win along the way_ , Kylo thought.

And an award it was, because a long time ago—years ago, when _Kylo Ren_ existed for only a short while, he remembered feeling something towards Hux, something slightly similar to what he felt now for him. Not lust, not quite. It was a yearning that was more… _affectionate_. More _selfless_.

Kylo’s lips curled in disgust. No wonder he had been so susceptible to Snoke’s manipulations.

These feelings ended when he realized how callous Hux was, how cold and vicious he could be towards those he deemed unworthy or competition—and to him, Kylo was both.

Only once had Kylo cried because of him—he remembered that humiliating moment of weakness even now—and it was then that he had ultimately, angrily, pushed whatever he felt for Hux away.

But had the feelings ever been truly gone? Kylo didn't feel affection for him really, but he still wanted Hux—yearned for him just as he did when he first shook the man’s hand five standard years ago.

And—why did Hux look so appealing to him when he was clearly vulnerable?

Why did Kylo feel such a need to make him so?

He somehow knew that what he was doing was wrong, but he attributed this to the conditioning Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa made Ben Solo go through all those years ago. He had been repressed his whole life by what selfish people dictated to be wrong or right; and now, Kylo was on the path to changing that. It was time for _him_ to decide his morals instead of letting those imposed on him continue to have power over him.

And he suffered years for this very moment—why must he suppress himself even now?

He shouldn’t. He _won't_. Kylo had this ability, and therefore he had the right to use it. This was _his_ gift, and it would be used for what _he_ wanted—not for Luke Skywalker, not for Leia Organa, and certainly not for Snoke.

Kylo would free himself slowly but surely, ripping apart each chain link by link. Progress was progress no matter how small, and he would steadily continue onwards on his path to deliverance.

And Hux—underneath Kylo, Hux would make a brilliant general. _And among other things_ , he thought wickedly, eyes tracing the straight lines of Hux’s lithe body, imagining how he would look with his wiry limbs pulled taut against his bed. Snoke would regret tossing away such an asset for Kylo to take. After all, that was what he was essentially doing by driving Hux to such taxing desperation. Besides, it was hardly _his_ problem that Snoke let himself become weak. It was only natural, after all, that he would suffer for his imperceptiveness and blatant lack of foresight.

And _oh_ would he suffer. That would be made certain of. 

 _But speaking of suffering_ , Kylo thought, watching as Hux ran his fingers through his messy hair, only for the stubborn locks to fall back against his forehead. The poor general was trying hard to hide how terrified and stressed he was, how _helpless_ he was, and how could Kylo _not_ capitulate on that?

He was tempted to leave him be, at least temporarily, because he knew he didn't need to be present for Hux to feel so distressed. But, he had a job to do—Snoke’s orders. Even though the idea of acting obedient to a lesser being still made him seethe, Kylo still had to follow Snoke's commands for the sake of appearing loyal. He knew, however, that the end result would more than make up for it.

 _Besides_ , Kylo thought, watching as Hux’s face twisted upon noticing him, _perhaps this won’t be_ too _unbearable._

He strode towards him, each step confident and certain. Kylo could tell that Hux was trying very hard to show that he wasn't intimidated, but that mattered little when he could practically taste his fear in the air.

The sound of a pot crashing was so sharp in Hux’s mind that Kylo didn't even have to reach out to hear it. And there was a voice too, a voice that said:

“ _I believe I should make something clear to you, Hux.”_

It was _his_ voice, and those were _his_ words from that confrontation in the corridors. Kylo found himself at awe. He had long desired this, but now that it was right in front of him—

Hux was afraid of him. He could deny it—a fact that Kylo planned on fixing—but he knew it to be true. Both of them did. 

Kylo was accomplishing what he once thought was impossible, step by step. His ultimate victory was appearing more and more inevitable to him, a fact that would be surely confirmed when Hux became loyal to him— _when he became_ _his_ —and Snoke laid dead at the heels of his boots.

“General,” he greeted, allowing none of the pleasure he was feeling to show in the tone of his voice.

Hux glared at him, a familiar scowl set on his face. It was strange—Kylo always thought him taller, _bigger_ , than he was now. “I hope you have a good reason to be here—” he hissed.

“Yes,” Kylo said, smiling underneath his helmet. “Our meeting. I hope you aren't offended by what I had said. They were only words—baseless, even.”

“You blatantly threatened me,” Hux snarled. “Those had not been _mere words_. You have no restraint—I once thought you as Supreme Leader Snoke’s lapdog, but perhaps I was incorrect.” His lips curled into a sneer. “You are not even that.”

 _And_ you _are a coward who has had hardly even a single success since you took command of this ship._

Anger simmered underneath Kylo’s skin. He forced himself to remain calm with deep, uneven breaths.

 _If I am to gain his loyalty, I must pick my battles more carefully,_ he reminded himself.

“We can discuss this matter later," Kylo said dismissively. “I have a message for you."

"A message?" Hux appeared annoyed. "You do realize that I have a co—ah, right. I nearly forgot that you don't understand the workings of simple technology. Though, I do recall that I told you to send an officer instead of coming to me yourself." 

Kylo clenched his teeth, but he didn't take the bait. "There will be a meeting that will take place this afternoon—I will send you the details later," he said curtly, thinking: _Yes, I know how to use a comm, you unrightfully arrogant piece of—_  "Just know that it will consist of only the highest ranked officers in the First Order, and you are one of them.”

“And under whose authority?” Hux demanded irritably. “And with such short notice—”

It was then that Kylo grinned, despite his previous anger. “Master Snoke has called for the meeting himself,” he told him. 

It was strange how an expression could change so drastically from one simple statement—Hux’s face, previously unfriendly and aggravated, shifted entirely to express a whole array of emotions so complex that it was nearly impossible to distinguish between them. Kylo, though, had quite the talent in the matter, and he was left able to see in Hux’s features the raw fear, horror, nervousness, and—

 _Snoke’s voice, steady and hoarse and_ lethal—

 _I have to redeem myself. There is no other option. If I don't—no. I_ will _do so, because otherwise—_

“He will be there.” It wasn't a question.

“Master Snoke will not be in attendance,” Kylo corrected. “I will be there in his stead, and I will report the results of the meeting to him afterwards.”

Hux’s shoulders sagged slightly in relief, but some tension was still noticeably there.

“I see,” he said, voice forcefully sharp as he attempted to recover. He appeared unnaturally stiff. “If Supreme Leader Snoke wishes me to be there, then I will attend.”

Kylo smiled beneath his mask, feeling a languid sort of jubilation.

“Excellent,” he said. "Master Snoke will be pleased to hear this."

And, it was difficult to not notice how Hux shuddered at that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Thanksgiving to those who celebrate it!
> 
> After managing to battle my way through mid-terms week and several research papers, here I am. :) 
> 
> This is a bit of a transitional chapter, but I hope you all still enjoy it!
> 
> Thank you to those who have given this fic kudos, and big thanks to all those who commented. You give me the drive to keep writing this fanfic!

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is betaed by my lovely friend, [EmberGlows](http://archiveofourown.org/users/EmberGlows/pseuds/EmberGlows). 
> 
> All kudos and comments are appreciated. 
> 
> If you want to check out my Tumblr, my URL is [menaraline.tumblr.com](https://menaraline.tumblr.com)!


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